In Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, probate is a legal procedure that a court must go through before giving effect to a will. Before putting a will into effect, a court has to determine that it is valid.

In the probate process, a Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania 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.

The executor of the estate is commonly named in the will. If not, the probate court in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania will name will appoint a person to serve as executor. This is usually the person who stands to inherit the most under the will.

The executor is the person who initiates probate proceedings. The person who stands to inherit the most from the will is usually 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 Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania

Executors of estates have a several distinct responsibilities. First, the executor must start the probate proceedings. Probate almost always needs to be completed 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.

If the decedent was even moderately well-off financially, it's likely that they'll have significant amounts of both debts and assets. The executor is tasked with creating an accurate accounting of the debts and assets of the estate, so as much of the decedent's debts can be paid off as possible.

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 assistance. 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 Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

Because this can be (though isn't always) a fairly complex process, it's a good idea to get a good probate lawyer in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, especially if you find yourself being the executor of an estate, and aren't sure how to proceed.