Fairview, North Carolina has a legal process known as "probate." This is when a court decides whether or not a will is valid, and, accordingly, whether or not to effectuate its provisions.

During probate, the court in Fairview, North Carolina will determine the validity of the will, distinguish and inventory the decedent's assets, account for the decedent's debts and back taxes, and distribute the decedent's property, among other things.

Wills commonly name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Fairview, North Carolina will name one. This is most often the adult individual who stands to inherit the most money or property from 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 Fairview, North Carolina

The executor has many duties concerning the will. First, they have to really initiate the probate proceedings, which must be finished before the will is effectuated.

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.

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 Fairview, North Carolina Lawyer Help?

Because of the intricacies involved in probate, it would be smart to hire a brilliant Fairview, North Carolina probate lawyer, especially if you are the executor of an estate and unsure how to proceed.