In Erlanger, Kentucky, probate is the process in which a court validates or voids a will.
As part of this process, the Erlanger, Kentucky probate court will determine the validity of the will, inventory the decedent's assets and debts, and then, finally, distribute the estate according to the will, assuming it is found to be valid.
Wills normally name the person who is to serve as executor of the estate. If no executor is named, the Erlanger, Kentucky court will appoint an executor. This is normally the person who stands to gain the most if the will is found to be valid.
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 motivation to help the process go as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.
Duties of the Executor in Erlanger, Kentucky
The executor has several duties concerning the will. First of all, they have to actually initiate the probate proceedings with the court, and this procedure has to be finished before the will takes effect.
Furthermore, it's the executor's job to notify all involved parties that the person who made the will has died. "Interested parties" are typically people who are named in the will, or who would inherit the estate if the decedent had died without a will.
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.
Because the executor serves as the living symbol of the decedent's estate, they are solely responsible for proving the validity of the will. This is a lot of work, but because executors are normally chosen based on how much they stand to inherit from a will once its validity is confirmed, they have a good incentive to see the process to completion.
How Can A Erlanger, Kentucky Lawyer Help?
Because of the intricacies involved in probate, it would be smart to hire a brilliant Erlanger, Kentucky probate lawyer, especially if you are the executor of an estate and unsure how to proceed.
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