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What are good qualities for the executor of a will?

On Behalf of | May 5, 2023 | Estate Planning |

It is not something people in Miami love to do, but estate planning is important. People cannot bring their property with them when they pass away and once they are gone, the only control they have over it is based on what was written in their wills. It is important that the property goes to the people whom they truly want to have it.

Having a well-drafted will allows people to dictate who will receive their property, but it does not actually give the property to the people. The person responsible for doing that is called the personal representative who is commonly referred to as the executor of the estate. When drafting a will, people also choose the person they want to be the personal representative.

Qualities of a good personal representative

The personal representative has many responsibilities and it is important that people choose people who can complete all of them. When choosing a personal representative, people should look for someone with the following qualities:

  • Someone who is organized
  • People who you can depend on and will ethically execute their duties
  • People with financial or legal background
  • People who are not easily pushed around and will stand up to challenges of the estate or to beneficiaries who believe they deserve more
  • People who will most likely be alive and able to be the personal representative when you pass away

The primary goal of a will in Florida is to state who will receive people’s property when they pass away. Much of the focus should be toward deciding who will receive property and how much they will receive. However, choosing the personal representative is also important. It is easy to simply choose a close family member, but they may not always be the right person for the job. It is important to choose a person who has the qualities to make a good personal representative.