In Souderton, 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 Souderton, 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 Souderton, 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 has to get the ball rolling on the probate process, and essentially serves as a living embodiment of the decedent's estate. It is their job to defend the estate from debtors (if a legitimate defense for the debt exists, of course), and wind up any legal proceedings that the decedent might have been involved in. If an executor needs to be appointed, a court usually chooses the person who will inherit the most if the will is given effect, since that person will have the most motivation to carry out the duties of the executor.

Duties of the Executor in Souderton, 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.

The executor also has to give those with a direct interest in the will notice that the decedent has died, by filing an official 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.

Finally, executors have to actually put forth the effort to prove that a will is valid. As the sole legal representative of the estate, this is their job, and is required for them to inherit, giving them an incentive.

How Can A Souderton, 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 Souderton, Pennsylvania, especially if you find yourself being the executor of an estate, and aren't sure how to proceed.