Executor of will

[ThrewAGoatOnChrisPine]

'Scuse the terrible boring subject.

We are finally getting round to writing our will and trying to decide who to make executor- how do you choose? We are presuming siblings but actually it looks like quite a difficult job to do. Is it easier to just name a solicitor to do it?

My Mum put down my sister who lived closest to her simply for that reason I think. In the end my sister arranged funeral but by that time was so upset she asked me to sort out finances which were quite complex as 6 different bank and building society accounts, several lots of shares, premium bonds, her house to sell, utilities to settle, Sky TV to cancel as well as a few other things like magazine subscriptions. My dh did it for me as I worked on the eulogy. I would pick 2 people not 1 as there is quite a lot to do. Also I have left an A4 sheet on my laptop under death folder. On the page I put mortgage details, life insurance details, utilities, all bank accounts and sort codes, French bank account details, details of all French utilities. I also stated where my will is stored and combination for the safe with a few thousand in cash as once you die your bank accounts get frozen.

My late-DH named myself, his sister and the will-writing company (who was a client).
We asked the will-writing company to renounce following his death and I have dealt with everything although his sister is still an executor. I discussed things with her where they needed decisions, as apposed to just administration.

Mine names my parents and late-DH, and needs updating now as my parents are aging and ds1 is >18.
Can minors act?
I'd like to name both ds's, and while I hope not to die before ds2 is 18 nobody knows the future.

I was executor of my mums will a couple of years ago, it wasn’t really anything overly complicated but I had to pull together all the paperwork re bank accounts etc. Once that was done it was mostly contact with the solicitors by email & phone and called in to see them a few times to sign some paperwork. I’m in Scotland though so it’s a completely different legal system.

When deciding who to name as your executor think carefully, I was joint executor with my brother, who had no interest in anything and barely even checks his email. He lives locally to me but is away for work most of the time so there were delays in getting him to sign things. I also could have told him anything because he never actually read anything he was sent. Mum made us both executors so it wouldn’t seem like I was being favoured but in reality I could have been sole executor and he could have still been a joint beneficiary.

I was named executor on both my late parents will's. I still used solicitors to do all the work, being executor just meant I was kept fully informed of exactly what stage we were at and all the forms were sent to me for signature once they had completed them. I think who you name depends partially on your age, an older person might name the next generation down to be executor as they are likely to outlive you. A younger person might name a sibling thinking that particular will is to cover the event of dying young and might be updated and a younger person named in 20+ years. My first will which I made when my children were small named my sister as executor, 25 years later my current will names my son.

Mine are actually the next generation down, they are 20s and 30s now so will definitely be old enough. I worked on the basis that pragmatically siblings may die before you and could be very elderly etc and find it overwhelming. Nieces and nephews are more likely to be middle aged and so better placed to do the admin etc.

You can help executors out by leaving a letter of wishes setting out your funeral arrangements and practical info e.g. I have a number of spreadsheets on my PC with info about savings and investments, who are suppliers for household bills, and a list of people to inform - saves going through addressbooks.

DM picked myself and one of my 3 siblings to be joint executors - she chose us as she thought we’d be the easiest to get on with it with minimal drama, not fall out over it and work best together out of the 4 of us.

Some things we arranged for all 4 siblings to do together (go through jewellery, personal belongings and other family history stuff) the rest either I did as I lived in my mum’s house or DSis and I did together then told the others what we had done.

Selling the house took about 6 months from start to finish and then applying for probate took around 6 months but we started that while the house sale was progressing. House clearance was down to DH and I as we took most of the furniture with us when we left as we needed to finish a home where as the others didn’t.

I think it's much easier to appoint a firm of solicitors to be executors. Yes there is a cost but you're paying to excuse your relatives from having to process complex financial and legal processes at such an emotional time. Also, I think there is a risk that executors are potentially liable for errors made.