Dover, New Hampshire has a legal process known as "probate." This is when a court decides whether or not a will is legitimate, and, accordingly, whether or not to effectuate its provisions.

In the probate process, a Dover, New Hampshire probate court has several duties, including ruling on a will's validity, making an inventory of the estate's assets, and making note of all the decedent's debts. Once the will is determined to be valid, the court will distribute the property according to its terms.

Wills often name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Dover, New Hampshire 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 usually 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 Dover, New Hampshire

Executors of estates have a several 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.

They also are required to provide notice to the people with a direct interest in the estate that the decedent has died, usually by filing a death certificate.

The executor will also have to compile 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.

As the representative of the estate, the executor has to take charge of the probate process, filing the necessary court papers, and, if necessary, hiring an attorney for help. If the estate is large, and the executor stands to inherit a great deal of money once this process is complete, they'll probably find it to be worth the time and expense.

How Can A Dover, New Hampshire Lawyer Help?

Because of the complexities involved in probate, it would be smart to hire a good Dover, New Hampshire probate lawyer, especially if you are the executor of an estate and unsure how to proceed.