How a Chattanooga Probate Attorney Can Help an Unexpected Executor

You may have woken up to a phone call stating that you are the executor of your Uncle Kevin’s will and estate. This may come as a complete surprise as you may not have felt very close to him or thought that you would be anyone’s executor for many years to come. However, your uncle lived alone, had no children, never spoke of his assets, and seemed to enjoy it when you would visit him. Therefore, you are appointed as his executor unexpectedly with no clue about what to do or where to turn.

What is an executor and what do they do?

While you may be stressed and overwhelmed at the thought of being someone’s executor after they have passed, this is truly an honorary and respectable obligation. As an executor, you are in charge of distributing your deceased family member’s property, money, and other important assets to their beneficiaries. You will need to look over everything mentioned in the deceased individual’s will, locate any additional assets that were unmentioned, sort through their finances and bills, and ensure that everything is paid off. Although this may seem challenging, it is critical that you remain honest, impartial, and attentive during this process. Here are a few different tasks that an executor is responsible for carrying out:

• Alerting banks, government agencies, bill collecting agencies, and credit card companies of your family member’s passing
• Going through a probate court hearing process
• Paying the deceased individual’s bills
• Keeping the property or assets in good condition until they can be sold
• Paying off any debt and taxes
• Distributing the assets to the designated beneficiaries

What to do if you are named the executor of a family member’s estate and will

Finding out that you are named the executor of a family member’s estate and will may be a confusing and frustrating time for you because you may not know much about their house, properties, or where anything is located. However, there are a few things that you can do when this happens.

Look through their house, work location, or other properties for information. When you first find out that you are the executor of a family member’s estate and will, you should start looking through their belongings to find any information that may be beneficial to you. You should look inside their home, work office, or other properties to find mail, bank statements, bills, computer information, e-mails, saving accounts, tax forms, deeds, titles, and more. This can help you locate any missing assets as well as give you a better understanding of everything that your family member left behind. You will now know what assets are available to distribute and what bills are left that need to be paid.

Be aware of potential issues that may arise and prepare to handle them when they do. You will encounter many roadblocks when trying to find out information. This is a normal part of the process that makes it difficult and time-consuming. For example, you may be unable to locate your uncle’s bank account or unpaid bill account. This may require you to make phone calls and reach out to various companies, government agencies, and previous employers.

Another potential issue that may come up is discovering that your uncle still owes a lot of money on his house, making its value less than what is owed. This can cause a huge headache for you as you may not know how you will sell the house and still pay off what is owed. However, there are solutions to these types of problems, and you should always prepare for the worst.

Hire a probate lawyer and go through the probate process. While you may attempt to handle most of this process on your own, the truth is that sooner or later you will need to consult with a Chattanooga probate attorney and learn about the probate process. This will help you determine if your loved one’s will is real and authentic, identify and locate any missing or additional assets, and distribute the assets to the proper beneficiaries. A probate lawyer will remain professional, honest, compassionate, caring, and impartial throughout the entire process. They will help you navigate and face all hurdles, challenges, and conflicts that emerge, and you will feel more at ease knowing that you have help with carrying out your family member’s wishes and demands.

How a Chattanooga probate lawyer can help you

The Chattanooga probate lawyers from Wagner & Wagner have over seven decades of experience assisting clients who have unexpectedly become executors of their family members’ wills. This process can be overwhelming and stressful for those who are grieving their loved one but also feel the need to respect and honor their wishes. Our attorneys believe in allowing our clients to focus on their mental health, while we handle the sorting process for them. We are here to provide a helping hand as well as make sure you are informed about every step of the process along the way. The following are seven ways our legal team will assist you:

1. We will make sure the will is real, authentic, and the original copy.
2. We will get in touch with all parties who are listed on the will.
3. We will collect all assets that will be distributed.
4. We will find out which bills need to be paid off.
5. We will work with accountants to determine the value of the assets.
6. We will distribute the assets to their rightful heirs and beneficiaries.
7. We will answer any questions or concerns that may arise throughout the process.

If you have recently been taken by surprise to find out that you are the executor of a deceased family member’s will, Wagner & Wagner is here to help you. Our probate attorneys are well versed in the laws surrounding these issues, and we have what it takes to guide you through the probate process as quickly as possible. Call our office or complete our contact form at your earliest convenience to schedule your initial meeting with one of our lawyers. We are highly rated among clients in Chattanooga, Cleveland, and other Tennessee cities and counties.