Estates: Choosing an Executor

Choosing an Executor for your Estate (like choosing a legal attorney in your Power of Attorney) is one of the most important and critical decisions you make during your lifetime and should not be taken lightly. We strongly recommend that you choose an individual(s) who is very well known to you and who is very aware of your personal circumstances. Your Will will most likely give decision making powers to your Executor and you must be convinced that your Executor will carry out your wishes. In short, your Executor must be trustworthy, reliable and capable of administering your Estate for the benefit of your beneficiary(ies) and loved ones.

It is not unusual for an individual (testator) to appoint his or her lawyer to act as the Executor (or co-Executor) of his or her Estate. The reasons for such an appointment are personal. In general, the client’s personal circumstances or the way the client wants his or her wishes carried out (as set out in the Will drafted by the lawyer) require a professional to act as an impartial and capable Executor to facilitate administering the Estate and to ensure the client’s wishes are carried out professionally and without delay. Furthermore, clients today are choosing a lawyer to act as their Executor or co-Executor instead of a financial institution because in most cases, the costs are substantially lower when the client’s lawyer provides the Executor services.

If you think your Estate would be better administered by one of our lawyers acting as your Executor, do not hesitate to contact us. We would be pleased to discuss your personal situation and tailor our Executor services to suit your needs. We are able to act as your Executor or co-Executor and our commitment is to ensure your instructions and wishes are carried out completely in accordance with your Will.