Serving as an estate executor may seem like a high honor. However, it is a role that you will likely serve in for months or years after the testator dies. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider whether accepting an invitation to represent an individual’s estate during the Florida probate process.
Make sure that you can dedicate yourself
A typical probate proceeding can take six to nine months to complete. Therefore, you’ll need to feel confident that you can dedicate the time needed to be an executor. Furthermore, you’ll need to know that you can adequately fulfill the duties of an executor in a timely manner. If you make a mistake, you could extend the probate timeline or find yourself in legal trouble.
You’ll likely be part of a team
If you don’t work well with others, you probably won’t be a good executor. You should expect to field questions from beneficiaries, creditors and other parties during the process of settling the testator’s affairs. It’s also important that you know where to go for help if issues arise. Seeking outside advice may prevent you from making mistakes that could make it harder to carry out a deceased person’s estate plan. Finally, you should make sure that you are comfortable making difficult decisions in an impartial manner based on the facts of the case and existing state law.
An executor generally plays an important role in ensuring that a person’s estate plan is carried out. Therefore, it is a good idea to spend time thinking about whether you are right for the role. It’s worth noting that you can withdraw from this position at any point before probate begins without suffering any significant consequences.