Please Don't Die, But if You Do, What Do I Do Next?: A Practical and Cost Saving Guide for the Estate Executor

Have you been named as an executor of a will or just want to know what the process of estate administration from a practical standpoint is all about? Then read on!

This book is for meant to help those who have been named as an executor, for someone who has asked a loved one in to be in charge of their estate or for one who just generally wants to know what the process of closing an estate is all about. It has some technical elements, like how to sell or transfer stock and – but the real value of the book is setting expectations. It includes advice such as; making the funeral arrangements, dividing up the jewelry and selling the furniture. More importantly, it gives the first time executor enough information so they can be conversant when talking to lawyers, accounts and beneficiaries. That’s the main reason this book is different than others – it has more of the practical versus the legalese. It basically helps someone who’s never been an executor before or hasn’t been exposed to the process and needs a little bit of help to carry out the wishes of a loved one. It’s about things like; how long the process will take, fairness with beneficiaries, what curveballs might be thrown your way and what some of the pitfalls that might be encountered. For example, you should be aware that some insurance companies will drop homeowners insurance or not honor the policy if the house is vacant for an extended period of time. Again, that’s where the value of this book is, eliminating some of those first time “unknowns” of being the executor of an estate. There is also a short “What should I do if?” chapter to answer questions such as; what if someone else wants to be the executor, if someone sues the estate, if the beneficiaries don’t want to sign the refunding bonds, etc…

In addition to the practical help, this book can help save you some fees when you administer the estate. You can close bank accounts, close insurance policies, transfer stock, send refunding bond notices, and file the will for probate by yourself. All those things are not hard to do, they’re mostly administrative in nature and can be handled by a layperson. The idea is to let the lawyers focus on their areas of expertise while you focus on those administrative items.