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Dividing the Things Money Cannot Measure
Read guide: Dividing the Things Money Cannot MeasureThe house sale produced no argument. There was an independent valuation, a marketing campaign and a settlement statement showing exactly where the money went. The…
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When Beneficiaries Turn Against the Will
Read guide: When Beneficiaries Turn Against the WillThe executor expected disappointment. One child had received the family home. Another had received a smaller cash gift. A third had been left out entirely.…
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Paying Beneficiaries Before the Estate Is Finished
Read guide: Paying Beneficiaries Before the Estate Is FinishedThe executor had enough money in the estate account to make everyone happy. The deceased’s house had sold, the mortgage was repaid and more than…
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What Executors Can Charge to the Estate
Read guide: What Executors Can Charge to the EstateThe executor had spent more than expected before probate was even granted. There were court documents, replacement locks, insurance premiums, postage, property inspections and several…
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Getting Paid for Acting as Executor
Read guide: Getting Paid for Acting as ExecutorThe executor had expected paperwork. He had not expected the role to take over his evenings. For nearly a year, he dealt with probate forms,…
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What Probate Really Costs in New Zealand
Read guide: What Probate Really Costs in New ZealandThe executor received three very different answers to one apparently simple question. “How much will probate cost?” One person said it should cost only the…
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Stepping Away From the Executor Role
Read guide: Stepping Away From the Executor RoleThe will had been signed years earlier. At the time, agreeing to act as executor felt like a small favour for someone close. Then the…
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The Executor’s Duty of Loyalty
Read guide: The Executor’s Duty of LoyaltyThe executor had found a buyer for the deceased’s house. The offer was lower than expected, but it came from the executor’s daughter. There would…
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Protecting Yourself While Acting as Executor
Read guide: Protecting Yourself While Acting as ExecutorThe estate looked comfortably solvent. There was money in the bank, a mortgage-free house and only a handful of ordinary bills. The executor obtained probate,…
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