Have you been named the executor but your not a family member? Being executor of an estate can be a tough job. After all, you are required to gather all of the estate assets, pay the person’s debts and divide what remains of their estate amongst their beneficiaries. It can be challenging, overwhelming, time-consuming and [...]
You’ve written a will — great! But when was the last time you reviewed it? If you don’t know the answer to that question, then it’s probably time to do so because a will is not something that you can simply set and forget. Certain life events should naturally trigger a will review. Life and [...]
Rule number one when writing your will: always ask your chosen executor before appointing them if they’re willing to take on the task. If you don’t, that person may get a surprise phone call informing them of such after your death. If you’ve recently found yourself at the receiving end of that surprise call, we [...]
Many say that moms hold the family together. They love their kids unconditionally, often take them wherever they need to go and always, always know where everything is whenever someone needs it. Being a mom is a lifelong job. And mothers give up a lot for it — sleep, peace and quiet, clean cars and [...]
A family member or close friend passes away and amidst your grief you discover that you have been named executor of their estate. You’re shocked, because you didn’t know that you had been named as executor in their will. (Rule number one when writing your will: always ask your executor before appointing them.) We won’t [...]
For most of us, spring cleaning means a chance to declutter, downsize and simplify. It’s about new beginnings and fresh starts and there’s definitely a certain feeling of satisfaction that comes with checking off each item on the to-do list. So, what’s on your spring to-do list? Because if you don’t have a will, writing [...]
You already know that dying without a will is the safest way to ensure that you have absolutely no options whatsoever as to how your estate is to be divided. (And if you really didn’t know that, then read about what happens when you die without a will before reading on.) However, depending on your [...]
Write your will right and it will do exactly what you want and need it to do when you die. Your will is your roadmap to your loved ones and a properly written will ensures that your death doesn’t create a legal or administrative burden on your family. Write it wrong and your family may [...]
Being appointed executor of an estate is a big job. While the official definition of the role sounds fairly straight-forward — gather up the estate assets, pay the deceased’s debts and divide what remains of the deceased’s estate among beneficiaries — the actual effort involved in these three tasks is far greater than it sounds. [...]
One of the many important decisions you need to make when making a will is choosing an executor for your estate. This is the person who will wind up your affairs. Choosing poorly may not only affect the distribution of your life savings but may also affect your family’s well-being after you are gone. The [...]
