In Sheldon, Iowa, probate is the process through which a Court decides if a will is valid or not.

As part of this procedure, the court in Sheldon, Iowa has many important responsibilities. Most especially, it has to decide if the will is valid, and consider evidence that it is not (if any such evidence exists). The probate court then has to guarantee that the property is distributed in an orderly manner, as close to the terms of the will (assuming it is valid) as possible.

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

The executor is the person accountable for initiating the probate proceedings. The person who would inherit the most from the will is appointed, because they have the greatest incentive to move the process along as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.

Duties of the Executor in Sheldon, Iowa

The executor has various duties concerning the will. First of all, they have to actually initiate the probate hearings with the court, and this procedure has to be finalized before the will takes effect.

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.

Executors are also obligated to make accessible an accounting of the testator's debts and assets, so their affairs can be wound up, along with a list of everybody who is named in the will, or otherwise stands to inherit.

Additionally, the executor is obligated 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 Sheldon, Iowa Lawyer Help?

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