In Hartford, Connecticut, probate is the process through which a Court decides if a will is valid or not.
As part of this procedure, the Hartford, Connecticut probate court will decide the validity of the will, inventory the decedent's assets and debts, and then, lastly, distribute the estate according to the will, assuming it is deemed to be valid.
Wills frequently name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Hartford, Connecticut will name one. This is most often the adult individual who stands to inherit the most funds or property from the will.
Because the executor is responsible for truly initiating probate proceedings and seeing them to finalization, 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 Hartford, Connecticut
The executor has many duties regarding the will. First, they have to truly initiate the probate proceedings, which must be done before the will is effectuated.
The executor also has to provide those with a direct interest in the will notice that the decedent has deceased, by filing an official death certificate.
There may be numerous 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 challenging to find, but they need to be found, nonetheless. To that end, the executor is obliged 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. Furthermore, they have to make known all of the decedent's major assets and debts.
Lastly, executors have to actually put forth the effort to establish that a will is valid. As the sole legal representative of the estate, this is their job, and is obligated for them to inherit, giving them an incentive.
How Can A Hartford, Connecticut Lawyer Help?
Because of the difficulties inherent in the probate process, it is a good idea to hire an efficient Hartford, Connecticut probate lawyer, particularly for the executors of estates.