As you prepare to handle matters of your Illinois estate, you may have many questions. How do you make an estate plan? How does a will fit into an estate plan? Who runs your estate after you pass?
Today, we will take a look at the person you will leave in charge of your estate. This person, known as an executor, holds an important role in the health of your estate.
Picking someone who sees the world like you
HuffPost looks at potential signs of a good executor for your will. Some signs are universal. Others are personal to an individual. For example, you do not want an executor who does not see eye to eye with you. No matter what other skills they have, they must share core values and principles. This is because they act as a stand-in for you after you pass. They should understand what you value and what choices you would make in life.
The importance of professionalism
Unfortunately, you cannot stop at someone who sees the world like you do. The person you pick as executor must have objective skill in many areas. They should know how to manage their time. They should have strong organizational skills. They should excel at dealing with people. Experience with lengthy projects is a bonus. Let them know that probate sometimes takes years. They will work on this longer than a few weeks or months.
Which leads us to time management and availability. Your chosen executor should have a decent amount of free time. Experts recommend against choosing someone with big projects on the horizon. This includes someone planning to launch a business or start a new family.
