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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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When a Family Claim Puts an Estate on Hold
Read guide: When a Family Claim Puts an Estate on HoldThe will appeared simple. A father left nearly everything to one adult child, explaining privately that the other had “already received enough.” The executor obtained…
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The Executor’s Roadmap From Will to Final Payment
Read guide: The Executor’s Roadmap From Will to Final PaymentThe envelope looked ordinary. Inside was a signed will naming Daniel as executor of his aunt’s estate. He had agreed to take the role years…
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The Executor’s First Seven Days
Read guide: The Executor’s First Seven DaysThe first call may come before sunrise. A parent, sibling or close friend has died, and somewhere in the first few stunned conversations, someone says,…
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The Executor’s Communication Playbook
Read guide: The Executor’s Communication PlaybookThree days after the funeral, the executor’s phone began filling with messages. One beneficiary wanted to know how much the house was worth. Another asked…
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Probate Without a Lawyer: A Careful DIY Guide
Read guide: Probate Without a Lawyer: A Careful DIY GuideThe executor had read the will three times. The appointment was clear. There was one original will, one executor, no handwritten changes and no obvious…
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Waiting for Probate: How to Check Its Progress
Read guide: Waiting for Probate: How to Check Its ProgressThe executor posted the probate application on a Monday morning. The tracking record showed that the package had been delivered. The filing fee had left…
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Managing NZ Probate From Overseas
Read guide: Managing NZ Probate From OverseasThe executor was sitting in a London apartment when the message arrived. Her uncle had died in New Zealand, and the will named her as…
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When the Original Will Cannot Be Used
Read guide: When the Original Will Cannot Be UsedThe executor found the envelope exactly where the deceased had said it would be. Inside was the will, but it was not in the condition…
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