• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset & Business Planning
    • Dental Practice Law
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Financial Planning Assistance
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Medicaid and Elder Law
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veteran’s Benefits
  • Resources
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
      • Elder Law Reports
      • Elder Law Resources
        • Carmel, Indiana Elder Resources
        • Fishers Indiana Elder Law Resources
        • Greenfield, Indiana Elder Law Resources
        • Greenwood Elder Resources
        • Indianapolis Elder Law Resources
        • Lawrence Elder Law Resources
        • Plainfield Elder Resources
        • Zionsville Elder Law Resources
    • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Alzheimer’s and Dementia
      • Asset Protection Planning
        • Business Succession Planning
      • Challenging an Indiana Will
      • Elder Abuse
      • Elder Law
        • Medicaid
        • Medicaid Planning
        • Planning for Long-Term Care
      • Estate Planning
        • Avoiding Estate Taxes
        • Estate Planning for Parents
        • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
        • LGBTQ Estate Planning
        • Women and the Need for Estate Planning
      • Financial Planning
      • How Divorce Impacts Your Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • Pet Planning
      • Philanthropy in Your Estate Plan
      • Probate
      • Power of Attorney
      • Serving as Trustee
      • Small Estate Administration
      • Trusts
        • Trust Administration
        • Trust Administration
        • Serving as Executor
      • Testamentary Trusts
      • Understanding Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
      • Updating Your Estate Plan
      • Veteran Benefits
      • Wills
        • Contesting a Will
    • Newsletter
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Probate and Trust Administration
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss Of A Loved One
      • Probate Resources
        • Carmel, Indiana Probate Resources
        • Greenfield Probate
        • Greenwood Probate
        • Indianapolis Probate
        • Plainfield Probate
        • Indiana Probate
        • Zionsville Probate
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Areas We Serve
    • Boone County
      • Lebanon
      • Zionsville
    • Hamilton County
      • Carmel
      • Fishers
    • Hancock County
      • Greenfield
    • Hendricks County
      • Brownsburg
      • Plainfield
    • Johnson County
      • Franklin, Indiana
      • Greenwood
    • Marion County
      • Central Indiana
      • Indianapolis
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Frank & Kraft, Attorneys at Law

Indianapolis Estate Planning Attorneys

CONNECT WITH US TODAY(317) 684-1100

Attend a Free Workshop
Home » What Qualities Should I Look for in an Executor?

What Qualities Should I Look for in an Executor?

March 31, 2015Estate Planning

What Qualities Should I Look for in an Executor?

If you use a will to facilitate asset transfers after you pass away, you should nominate an executor. This is the person who will handle the estate administration chores after your passing.

When you think about an estate representative, you may look upon the role as a somewhat ceremonial, honorary one.  In reality, there are many different important real-world tasks that the executor must handle to make sure that your wishes become reality.

The administration of an estate does not happen in a vacuum.  After your passing, the executor must admit the will to probate, and the probate court will supervise the administration of the estate.

The executor will be required to contact creditors, and final debts must be paid, including taxes. The executor may have to post a bond in some instances, and an estate bank account will typically be opened.

The property that comprises the estate must be identified and inventoried.  This property will ultimately be prepared for distribution to the heirs in accordance with your wishes, and this could require appraisals and liquidation.

When the court closes the estate, the executor can distribute assets to the heirs.

Qualities of an Effective Executor

As you can see from the above, the executor must handle some potentially high-level business oriented tasks.  You want to select someone who has the experience and expertise that it takes to conduct the business of the estate effectively.

A high level of honesty and integrity is required, and there should be no conflicts of interest.  The age of the person that you choose is a factor, because longevity could be a concern, and you should take geographic location into consideration as well.

Given the fact that the executor may be devoting a great deal of time and effort to the administration of the estate, you should discuss everything with your nominee in advance to be sure that the individual in question is willing to take on the responsibility.

Communication skills are also important, because the executor will be the point of contact for anyone who is conducting business with the estate.  These matters can be sensitive when it comes to inheritors, other family members, and associates, so diplomacy, tact, and patience are very useful qualities.

We should point out the fact that you could use a professional fiduciary to act as the executor if you do not know anyone who would be a good candidate.

Take Direct Action

You should have a holistic understanding of the estate administration process when you are planning your estate.  If you have questions, we can provide you with answers.

Our firm offers free consultations, and we would be glad to assist you. To set up an appointment, send us a message through our contact page: Indianapolis IN Estate Planning Attorneys.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Paul Kraft is Co-Founder and the senior Principal of Frank & Kraft, one of the leading law firms in Indiana in the area of estate planning as well as business and tax planning.

Mr. Kraft assists clients primarily in the areas of estate planning and administration, Medicaid planning, federal and state taxation, real estate and corporate law, bringing the added perspective of an accounting background to his work.
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Latest posts by Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
  • Will Medicaid Pay a Family Member to Care for Me in Indiana? - September 26, 2023
  • Challenging a Will in Indiana Based on Lack of Testamentary Capacity - September 21, 2023
  • The Spendthrift Beneficiary: Protecting Assets from Reckless Spending - September 19, 2023

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Benefits estate planning attorney
What Are the Benefits of Working with an Estate Planning Attorney?
Estate planning questions
What Are Some Good Estate Planning Questions to Ask Myself?
charitable gift annuity
What Is a Charitable Gift Annuity?
Estate litigation
How Might an Estate End Up in Litigation?
Dollarphotoclub
How Can I Incorporate Charitable Gifting into My Estate Plan?
after death
What Happens to My Estate after My Death?

Primary Sidebar

Frank & Kraft, Attorneys at Law

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube

Blog Subscription

Signup for our blog to receive our latest estate planning insights!

Where We Are

Frank & Kraft Attorneys at Law
135 N. Pennsylvania Street Suite 1100
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2485
Phone: (317) 684-1100
Fax: (317) 684-6111

See Larger MapGet directions

Office Hours

Monday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Map

frankkraft_sidbr_map

Footer

  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
footer-logo

Frank & Kraft Attorneys at Law
Attorney Advertisement

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

© 2023 · American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Contact Us