Many executors feel overwhelmed for any number of reasons. Trust me, I know first hand. In 2004 my father died and I was appointed executor of his estate. Because my mother had died four years earlier and I am their only child, all the responsibilities fell to me. To complicate matters, I lived two hours away from my parents’ home and I had an infant daughter at the time. Needless to say, I had my hands full juggling my regular responsibilities with the new responsibilities being executor imposed upon me.
Every executor’s story is different, and it is almost never an easy task. The probate process for even an uncomplicated estate can take six to nine months. It can take even longer if the decedent failed to keep good records. The duties of executor will take time away from family and work in many cases. Often executors will need to use vacation days or unpaid leave to attend to their responsibilities. (The Family Medical Leave Act only applies to situations where a family member is taking care of a sick relative but does not include bereavement.) Other complicating factors can include disagreements among beneficiaries, trouble appraising specific inventory items as well as estate tax complications. Finally, the executor often has a deep emotional connection with the decedent and is mourning the death while dealing with the estate.
Executrixie is Here to Help
- Use Executrixie to outsource the responsibilities you do not want to do including sorting through records, arranging to clean out a house and making various appointments with third parties.
- Use Executrixie to guide you through the process of being an estate executor including scheduling your responsibilities.
- Executrixie’s services are tax deductible as an estate expense.
