multiple executors

dannie

Thanks for the two further replies.

The person who has offered to deal with the deceased estate will be giving me some forms in a few weeks. Not sure at this point what the forms will say, but from comments above, am I right in thinking any of the following options are likely.

(1) - Two executors completely withdraw leaving the third executor to be the sole executor.

Or,

(2) - The forms will be stating that the other two executors are just reserving power but can step back in if necessary.

If not the above two points, could there be any other options presented to me?

RAS

Yes

You can be fully involved if you wish.

We had two family members working together and it worked fine.

Mojisola

Are you confident that the one who wants to take over is completely trustworthy? If so, you probably won't mind handing over control.

If you have the slightest doubt, stay as an executor. You could ask the one who will do most of the work to copy everything to you so that you can keep track of what's happening and can step back in if anything seems amiss.

dannie

What happens when a person dies who has left a will and has not specifically allocated their "personal possessions" to anybody? The deceased does not have a "surviving spouse" but has "surviving children".

maman

dannie wrote: »

What happens when a person dies who has left a will and has not specifically allocated their "personal possessions" to anybody? The deceased does not have a "surviving spouse" but has "surviving children".

When this happened with my late mother's estate, we amicably divided possessions between our family. This can be fraught if two or more people want the same thing or people turn up saying 'I was promised that' and you have no way of proving it. Even in our very harmonious family there was still an element of tongue biting. I suppose bottom line the possessions would have to be sold and proceeds then shared in same way as will decreed but this doesn't take into account sentimental value of personal possessions.

thorsoak

My brother was sole executor of my father's estate - my father kept impeccable records and as he had sold the family house and moved into (rented) sheltered accommodation some years earlier, there wasn't the same "break up" of the family home that can occur and cause heartbreak in families.

My father's will was simple in that everything was to be divided between the five of us - and we each took a piece of furniture that we wanted - but before we did, my brother had it valued and noted on his accounts, so that when everything was turned into cash, the value that each of us had out of the estate in furniture was noted down. The only thing that we all wanted was a picture - not a particularly valuable picture, but one that we all loved and remembered and wished as a keepsake - so it was taken to a printers/reprographic studio, and copied four times and each copy was put in the same styled frame as the original - so we were all content - it wasn't the value that mattered, it was the memories held in that particular print.

So it can all be done amicably.

dannie

Thanks for the replies. It seems like mixed family experiences happen in this area; maybe some people would opt to not "receive" anything if it added further distress to their loss?

In summary, so what I understand is that legally/morally the children split everything equally regarding "personal possessions" and not any one child has "priority?"

DVardysShadow

thorsoak wrote: »

... The only thing that we all wanted was a picture - not a particularly valuable picture, but one that we all loved and remembered and wished as a keepsake - so it was taken to a printers/reprographic studio, and copied four times and each copy was put in the same styled frame as the original - so we were all content - it wasn't the value that mattered, it was the memories held in that particular print.

Quite touching that there was one picture which had the same effect on you all.

dannie

The executor who obtained probate set me a deadline to inform them if I wanted to "have" any of the deceased possessions. This time has recently expired due to my indecision/inability to sort out how to approach this situation (long story - too traumatic).

Does this mean that the particular executor is now free (legally) to sort out this part of the estate?

dannie

Following my request, the executor has not informed me whether their duties have finished. Furthermore, previous letters to them remain neither acknowledged/elaborated upon.

Maybe (legally) the executor does not have too until any final papers require signature even though I am reserve executor? Is there a website that will inform me about my status as reserve executor and how to deal with this - still, of course, maintaining the "interests" of the deceased.

Thanks.