Executor

seven-day-weekend

I have been asked to be the executor of someone's will; she is a single lady in her eighties and has no family that she acknowledges; I know that she is going to leave her estate (mostly consisting of her flat) to charity.

As far as I can see this should be quite straightforward. I will ask her to put all her documents with her will where I can access them when the time comes.

Anything else I should know?

getmore4less

If she is leaving the estate to charity why does she not make them the executors?

seven-day-weekend

getmore4less wrote: »

If she is leaving the estate to charity why does she not make them the executors?

No idea, I don't consider that my business.

getmore4less

if you take on the job and the charities become a pain in your side it will be your business then.

seven-day-weekend

getmore4less wrote: »

if you take on the job and the charities become a pain in your side it will be your business then.

OK, could you expand on this please?

unforeseen

The nasty side of charities comes out when they are left a bequest in a will.
You're not dealing with things fast enough, you are delaying paying out to them, you are paying money out of the estate for other things so reducing their bequest and such like.

Small local charities tend to be OK but the large charities have departments for dealing with bequests in wills and can give executors a really hard time bordering on harassment.

I echo getmore4less, if most of it goes to charity then ask her to make the primary charity the executor

seven-day-weekend

I will take what you have said into consideration. One of the charities is local, I think the other is a national charity.

But I also had thought, well why should they know until I tell them? I would have to sell her flat and pay any bills/debts/fees before I could pay them out, I just wouldn't tell them until I was ready to give the money out.

If of course she has told them, then I will suggest that she makes them the executors.

getmore4less

Smee & Ford.

FreeBear

Malcnascar wrote: »

If they are not aware, they need not be told until you have completed the winding up of the estate. They could become aware after the grant of probate but i very much doubt that charities routinely examine probates on the off chance they are beneficiaries.

There are private businesses that regularly scan wills lodged with the Probate Registry looking for bequests made to charities. The big ones have contracts with these people, so will find out sooner or later...

getmore4less wrote: »

Smee & Ford.

Yup, this is the main operator - Takes money from a charity that could otherwise be used for a good cause and lets them know when a bequest has been made.

The downside to letting a charity act as executor is their legal department will run up sizable costs with no one outside being able to effectively challenge it.

seven-day-weekend

I would like to do it for her, she has not been treated well in life and we have got to know her these last few years. She is a feisty old lady and I am honoured to be asked.

Crabapple

The Charity will know almost as soon as a grant is issued.

If you have a property to sell expect them to want loads of info and to approve the sale price.