In Sandersville, Georgia, probate is the process through which a Court determines if a will is valid or not.

As part of the probate procedure, the court in Sandersville, Georgia 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 Sandersville, Georgia will name one. This is most often the adult individual who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will.

The basic duty of the executor is to serve as the living incarnation of the estate. Their job is to begin probate proceedings, and see them to completion. If an executor has to be appointed by the court, it will normally be the person who stands to inherit the most from the will, as he or she has an incentive to make every effort to avoid delay.

Duties of the Executor in Sandersville, Georgia

Executors of estates have a many distinct responsibilities. First, the executor must start the probate proceedings. Probate almost always needs to be finished 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.

The executor will also have to gather and make available a list of all of the decedent's debts and assets, as well as a list of those who stand to inherit from the decedent.

Additionally, the executor is required to take the lead in showing the validity of the will, effectively acting as the living embodiment of the decedent's estate. The executor is normally the person who will inherit the most once the will goes through probate, so they have a good reason to put in the work to do this.

How Can A Sandersville, Georgia Lawyer Help?

Because of the intricacies inherent in the probate process, it is a good idea to hire an accomplished Sandersville, Georgia probate lawyer, particularly for the executors of estates.