Chemung County, New York has a legal process known as "probate." This is when a court decides whether or not a will is binding, and, accordingly, whether or not to effectuate its provisions.

As part of the probate procedure, the court in Chemung County, New York will determine the validity of the will, inventory the decedent's assets and debts, then, assuming everything is found to be in order, distribute the estate according to the will.

Wills commonly name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Chemung County, New York will name one. This is most often the adult individual who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will.

The executor is the person who initiates probate proceedings. The person who stands to inherit the most from the will is normally appointed the executor, because they will have the most incitement to help the process go as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.

Duties of the Executor in Chemung County, New York

Executors of estates have a many distinct responsibilities. First, the executor must start the probate proceedings. Probate almost always needs to be completed before the property in an estate can be released according to the terms of the will.

Additionally, the executor has to make sure that the decedent's relatives and other people named in the will have notice of the testator's death, normally through the filing of a copy of the official death certificate.

If the decedent was even moderately well-off financially, it's likely that they'll have considerable amounts of both debts and assets. The executor is tasked with formulating an accurate accounting of the debts and assets of the estate, so as much of the decedent's debts can be paid off as possible.

Additionally, the executor is obligated to take a leading role in showing the validity of the will. The executor obviously has an incentive to see the process through, since they cannot inherit until probate is complete.

How Can A Chemung County, New York Lawyer Help?

Because this can be (though isn't always) a fairly difficult process, it's a good idea to get a brilliant probate lawyer in Chemung County, New York, especially if you find yourself being the executor of an estate, and aren't sure how to proceed.