A third important question you need to ask yourself: Who do I want the executor of my estate to be?  

There’s an old saying that you should never tell anyone “your favorite fishing hole, where you keep your whisky, and where you keep your money.”  But that last is certainly something the executor of your estate will need to know.  You see, your executor is the person you appoint to administer your will and see that your estate is handled appropriately.  If you don’t choose one, the government will do it for you…and that tends to be messy.  So, the choice should be yours. 

But whom you choose is critical.  Because your executor will be tasked with making sure every item in your will is accounted for and handled appropriately, you need someone who is trustworthy, reliable, clear-headed, and ideally, detail oriented.  You need someone who will not be daunted by the task…or the idea of paperwork. 

Of course, you should not choose someone who:

• Does not want the job. 
• Is in dispute with a third party who also wants to be the executor.  (This is not uncommon when one family member is chosen over another.) 
• Is generally distrusted by other members of your family.  Even if you trust them, this can lead to disputes. 
• Has an uncertain financial situation, i.e. has liens, a poor credit history, debts to pay off, or a history of bankruptcy. 

This is not a choice to be taken lightly…nor one that should be made quickly. But it is a question you will need to answer…or revisit if you’re concerned you made the wrong choice. 

Being an executor is hard.  The process can be long, demanding, and sometimes stressful.  But if you choose the right person well enough in advance, and make sure they know exactly what to do and what’s expected of them, the experience can go much more smoothly for them…and lead to peace of mind for you.