When a loved one passes away one of the most challenging tasks during this time is to execute their will. In order for this to happen, someone will be appointed executor and it will be up to them to take care of these affairs. It is important to note here that you do not have to use the services of a family lawyer who specialises in this, but they can in fact provide a huge amount of help if you do.
Let’s take a look at exactly how a deceased estate lawyer may be able to help you execute the will of someone who has died.
Emotional Support
One of the most compelling reasons to use a family lawyer is that they will be able to take a huge load off your shoulders during this time. Losing a loved one is of course hard and during this time of grieving the last thing you need is to have to deal with legal paperwork and the potential mess of that person’s estate. Beyond anything else, the emotional support this will give you is invaluable.
Iron Out The Details
In many cases a person’s estate is relatively easy to manage, and it will simply involve selling off assets, paying debts and then distributing it as they wished. There are however many cases whereby the estate is a mess and there are many parties involved. If the person owned property abroad for example or if they were in business with someone, these are all potential complications. Unless you have experience in this, it will be incredibly difficult to clean up, which is why using a deceased estate lawyer will make a great deal of sense.
Speed of Execution
Given that a family lawyer has so much experience in this, they are going to be able to execute the will in no time at all, allowing everyone to move forward with their lives. If you take on this responsibility however it is going to be a much slower process. The reason is that you may make mistakes on paperwork which cause delays; you could potentially miss important tasks as you weren’t aware and if there are any disputes, the whole process will be drawn out.
Legal Advice
Even if you do not plan to use a deceased estate lawyer to execute the will of your loved one, it is imperative that before you get started, you seek out legal advice. This will come at a cost of course, but it is not the same as paying for a legal professional to execute the will. What this will give you is the confidence in order to carry out the process; some helpful tips and hints on what you need to do and most importantly, make you aware of any potential complications which you may run into as you execute the will.
The easiest and swiftest option is most certainly to find a great legal team near you who specialise in this, and allow them to execute the will of your loved one. As mentioned, this is not obligatory but it is certainly the smartest move to make at this difficult time.
