An executor must undertake these responsibilities subject to a fiduciary duty to the estate. This includes a non-delegable duty to collect and preserve the estate. As the fiduciary of the estate, an executor owes a duty to act on behalf of the estate, and not for the executor’s personal interests. In the management of estate assets the executor must abide by the principle that an executor acts primarily in the interest the estate and its beneficiaries. A beneficiary of the estate has legal rights to hold an executor to these standards. The beneficiary’s rights include seeking the removal of an executor from office, and court oversight of the estate administration, and sanctions. Often, without action by the beneficiaries the executor will continue to do little or nothing to administer an estate. It is important that action be taken to enforce these rights as quickly as possible. The longer the delays, the more likely waste and damage may affect an estate. The first step is to know your legal rights and the options that best fit your situation. When most people think of executing a will, they might think only of delivering inherited assets to beneficiaries. However, there are actually several steps of the probate process that the executor must complete before transferring any assets. As a beneficiary, it’s natural to wonder how long it will take before the process ends and you receive any inheritance coming your way. Unfortunately, every estate is different, and that means timelines can vary. A simple estate with just a few, easy-to-find assets may be all wrapped up in six to eight months. A more complicated affair may take three years or more to fully settle. There are some deadlines written into state code for some parts of the probate process, and these might compel the estate’s executor to complete certain steps by a given date. We’ll review some of these rules in this guide. However, these deadlines are far from uniform, so it’s important to read up on how your state and even your county handle things. Filing the Will for ProbateSubmitting the deceased’s will to the proper probate court is the first step in any probate process. Doing this and receiving the court’s approval is what allows the executor to act as executor in the first place. So how long does the executor have to submit the will after the deceased passes away? As with just about every step in the process, the answer varies from state to state. Some states have no stated time limit for an executor to submit the will. That being said, the executor’s fiduciary duty to the estate, and therefore the estate’s beneficiaries, prevent him or her from just sitting on the will without good reason. The estate will continue to accrue expenses like property taxes regardless of whether or not anyone has filed the will, so it’s almost always in the estate’s best interest to get the probate process started sooner rather than later. If you’re a beneficiary and the executor named in the will has no plans to file the will or start the probate process, you likely have an argument that she’s violating her fiduciary duty to the estate. Estate InventoryOne of the first parts of the probate process is conducting an inventory of an estate’s assets. After an executor receives authority from the probate court, he or she is in charge of collecting all the assets in the estate and giving each a valuation. This is necessary to determine several things. One is if the estate will be subject to estate taxes. Another is if the estate will remain solvent – that is, whether the estate’s assets exceed its debts. Some states have deadlines for an initial inventory written into state code. Both Maryland and Texas, for example, require executors to conduct an inventory within three months of the decedent’s passing. Other states leave it to the probate courts to judge on a case-by-case basis. If you’re the executor of a complex estate, be sure to find out whether there are any states or county laws regarding the timeline for conducting the inventory. Paying Debts and Taxes of the EstateThe amount of debt associated with an estate is arguably the variable that can have the biggest impact on how long the probate process takes. This is partially because creditors against the estate need time to become aware of the process and make any claims against the estate. Some states have required windows of time to allow creditors to make claims. The tax burden that your estate has is another factor that could prolong the probate. This is particularly true if you have to deal with estate taxes. If the estate has real estate in multiple states, you may have to go through separate probate processes, which may or may not delay the distribution of assets. • Pecuniary legacies (gifts of specific sums of money) It is important to note that Executors should not pay cash gifts out of their own money and should never mix their own money up with monies comprised in the Estate. If the majority of the Estate assets have been received and there’s enough money in the Estate account, an interim payment could be made to the Beneficiaries with Executors holding back enough funds to cover any potential costs. These payments should be recorded by asking the Beneficiaries concerned to sign a written receipt, acknowledging receipt of the interim payment. On payment of the final costs or disbursements, the remaining funds would then be distributed to the Beneficiaries. If there is unreasonable delay, a Beneficiary should contact the Executor, pointing out their obligation to keep all Beneficiaries updated on the progress of managing the Estate. As a Beneficiary, you can also demand that the Executor provide an account of the Estate which should outline how much you are due to receive and the progress made in the Estate administration. If refused, there is a relatively straightforward process for obtaining a Court order so the Executor must produce an inventory and an account of the transactions of the Estate. • Spouse or domestic partner Factors The Probate Courts May ConsiderEven if someone is nominated in a will to serve as executor, or is entitled to priority for appointment in a state statute, the court has the final say over who actually serves as the personal representative. Only the court can issue the document (commonly called “letters of administration” or just “letters”) that gives someone authority over the assets in a deceased person’s estate. Certain people who would otherwise be entitled to serve as personal representative are disqualified under state law. (The same factors apply to persons nominated in a will.) Here are some factors that may or may not serve as reasons for disqualification: What is The Personal Representative’s Responsibilities?Executors, or Personal Reps, have to: Free Initial Consultation with LawyerIt’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a law question, call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you!
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