In Barre, Vermont "probate" refers to the process a court uses to decide whether or not a will is valid, thereby deciding if it should be given effect.

During probate, the court in Barre, Vermont will determine the validity of the will, identify and inventory the decedent's assets, account for the decedent's debts and back taxes, and distribute the decedent's property, among other things.

The executor of the estate is often named in the will. If not, the probate court in Barre, Vermont will name will appoint a person to serve as executor. This is normally the person who stands to inherit the most under the will.

Because the executor is responsible for really initiating probate proceedings and seeing them to completion, the person chosen for this role is often the one who stands to inherit the most from the will - giving them an incentive to put in the necessary time and effort.

Duties of the Executor in Barre, Vermont

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.

The executor also has to give those with a direct interest in the will notice that the decedent has died, by filing an official death certificate.

There may be many people who are entitled to take under a testator's will, with which the testator may have fallout out of touch years ago. This can make them hard to find, but they need to be found, nonetheless. To that end, the executor is obligated to make a list of everyone who might be able to inherit, whether they're named in the will, or closely related to the testator. Additionally, they have to make known all of the decedent's major assets and debts.

Finally, executors have to actually put forth the effort to show that a will is valid. As the sole legal representative of the estate, this is their job, and is required for them to inherit, giving them an incentive.

How Can A Barre, Vermont 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 Barre, Vermont, especially if you find yourself being the executor of an estate, and aren't sure how to proceed.