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

In the probate process, a Carlstadt, New Jersey 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 Carlstadt, New Jersey 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 actually 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 Carlstadt, New Jersey

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

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, usually through the filing of a copy of the official death certificate.

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

Furthermore, the executor is required to take a leading role in proving the validity of the will. The executor obviously has an incentive to see the process through, since they cannot inherit until probate is complete.

How Can A Carlstadt, New Jersey Lawyer Help?

Because of the complexities inherent in the probate process, it is a good idea to hire an experienced Carlstadt, New Jersey probate lawyer, particularly for the executors of estates.