Apart from consoling your family when a family member passes away, you must take care of the deceased's property. It is a legal process known as probate. It consists of transferring property and other assets to the decedent's heirs. The process follows state law and the last Will of the property owner.

In the last Will, people describe terms and conditions on what should happen to their estate after they pass away. The whole process runs under the supervision of an executor. Generally, the executor is nominated by the estate owner in the Will. The executor can hire a probate lawyer Dallas Texas to get help in the process.

In this post, we'll learn about the executor in detail.

What does a will executor do?

Each will generally have an executor, chosen by the person writing the Will. The person can be a family member, spouse, or close person of the estate owner. The executor ensures the person's final wishes are fulfilled after death. The executor comes into play as soon as the person has passed away. 

Duties of an executor:

The executor is responsible for administering the person's estate, including all the person's assets and liabilities, such as a house, car, shares, and investments. The following are the primary duties of an executor.

• Getting the death certificate.

• Apply for a grant of probate.

• Contacting the beneficiaries.

• Protecting the person's assets. 

• Taking out insurance or making an inventory of the assets.

• Presting death notifications to the probate court.

• Paying outstanding bills and debts against the estate from its funds.

• Claiming life insurance.

• Resolving disputes between beneficiaries.

• Defending the estate against legal action.

• Lodging pending tax returns.

• If the Will has a provision to set up a trust, then the executor must set up and administer them.

• Protecting the estate if the heirs are underage.

• Distributing assets among legal heirs according to the Will.

• Providing a full accounting of your administration to the court.
  
  

What if there is no Will?

If there is no will of the deceased that can be found, then the estate is distributed under the supervision of probate law. The court dictates the law and process of probate. The court pays the loan or any debt from the estate account, then distributes the estate among the legal heirs.

What is the role of an executor?

Contacting all the legal heirs: An executor's primary duty is to notify the beneficiaries about the Will. The executor must locate all the heirs, including those who are overseas.

Deal with all debts and liabilities: The executor must identify debtors and creditors. An executor must pay all the debts and bills against the property and the deceased owner. They are also responsible for paying funeral expenses, income tax, and fees for administering the estate from the estate accounts. 

Resolving legal issues: It is common to have a dispute among heirs on the property. Executors need to take the best suitable action to resolve it. They can get assistance from the best lawyers in Dallas Texas, who can help them with all the legal issues and prepare documents for the case.

Ensure the protection of the estate: An Executor is responsible for acting as the caretaker of the assets until they are passed on to the legal heirs. They identify all the owner's assets, including interstate or overseas. They ensure the entire state is valued, secured, and insured.

How does probate work with a will?

If there is a name of a person to work as an executor of the Will, you may have to apply for probate. It is a document that gives the power to the executor to deal with the entire property and distributes it according to the deceased owner of the state.

Can anyone see Will after probate?

The Will is a private document prepared per an estate owner's instruction. This document specifies the rules and instructions on what will happen to their property after they die. Before getting a probate, no one can see the Will. You can only see it after probate is granted.

The job of executors is very complex as they are solely responsible for managing the property before distributing it among its beneficiaries. You must get in contact with a dallas probate litigation attorney to get assistance in solving any dispute among heirs.