Checklist: What an Executor Does After a Death
By Michael T. Flannery, BA, JD
Blog
Wills & probate
A will is a formal legal document that expresses your final wishes and how your property is to be distributed when you're gone. However, probate is the legal process of proving your will is legally valid.
How to serve as executor of a will
If you’re the executor of a will, you’re responsible for carrying out the terms of a will. It’s your role to honor your loved one’s wishes to the best of your ability. While this can be a big responsibility, it’s also an opportunity to protect your loved one’s assets, arrangements, and estate. This is a final act of kindness for someone you love.
Most popular articles
How to Find Someone’s Will After Their Death: Step-By-Step
By Michael T. Flannery, BA, JD
What Happens When an Executor of an Estate Dies?
By Michael T. Flannery, BA, JD
Probate
Probate is a legal process that administers someone's estate after their death. Even if you have a legal will and testament, probate is the process that proves this will is valid. If you have a clear and legal will, probate is generally a simple process. However, if you die without a will or your will is contested, a probate court will apply your state's laws to determine how to distribute your estate.
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How Does Probate Court Work?
By Danielle Solomon, MA in Professional Writing
All Articles about Wills & probate
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in South Carolina?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What is Payable on Death? Definition + How it Works
By Michael T. Flannery, BA, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Texas?
By Kirbee Anderson, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in California?
By Kirbee Anderson, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Hawaii?
By Kirbee Anderson, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Georgia?
By Kirbee Anderson, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Kentucky?
By Kirbee Anderson, JD
6 Strange Inheritances & the Stories Behind Them
By Belinda McLeod, BA in Secondary Education
What Are Letters of Office for Estate Planning?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in West Virginia?
By Kirbee Anderson, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Idaho?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Maine?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Maryland?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Indiana?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Iowa?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Louisiana?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Michigan?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Nebraska?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Minnesota?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Massachusetts?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Montana?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in North Carolina?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in North Dakota?
By Gary Stern, JD
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in New Hampshire?
By Kim DelMonico, BA, JD, Esq.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Ohio?
By Gary Stern, JD