Help for Estate Executors or Administrators

If you are named as executor in a will, or are named as administrator of an estate where there is no will, you will be faced with numerous challenging tasks. These might include the following:

• Probating the will
  
• Advertising granting of Letters Testamentary / Administration
  
• Inventory of safe-deposit box
  
• Contact Department of Revenue Agent
  
• Make claim for life insurance benefits
  
• Make claim for pension and profit sharing benefits
  
• Apply for tax identification number
  
• Open estate checking account
  
• Write to banks for date-of-death balances
  
• Value securities
  
• Obtain appraisal of real property and personal property
  
• Obtain evidence of all debts of decedent and costs of administering estate
  
• Ascertain if medical bills remain unpaid
  
• Prepare state inheritance tax returns
  
• Prepay state inheritance tax to obtain discount
  
• File final federal tax return
  
• Prepare federal estate tax return, if necessary
  
• Pay federal estate tax, if necessary
  
• File account or prepare informal family agreement
  

Many of the listed tasks, among others, have strict deadlines that must be met in order to best serve the estate.
An experienced attorney can help you accomplish these myriad tasks in a timely fashion. It is imperative that you retain an attorney immediately after learning that you are named executor or administrator of an estate because of your relationship to the decedent. It is common practice to select the attorney who prepared the will, because that person will have had a relationship with the testator and will be in the best position to explain the testator's intentions in the event that the will is not clear. If you are in need of legal support please contact us for assistance.