From our “Ask a Question” Mailbag: Naming Multiple People as Pennsylvania Co-Executors

Most Recently Updated July 19, 2018.

“I live in Chester County, PA and currently my will names my two brothers as co-executors. I thought this was a smart thing to do, but my brothers have not been getting along recently. What are my options?”

Naming Multiple People as Pennsylvania Co-Executors

Having your brothers as co-executors when they do not get along is a bad idea. Co-executors have to work well together and cooperate, or else the estate will stall. Brothers who are having a dispute can make what is a small family dispute into a family feud that lasts generations.

Naming an Attorney as an Executor as an Alternative

You should seriously consider changing your Will to name another family member or, if you have none that you trust, to name your Chester Estate Planning Attorney. Your lawyer will charge a fee, but that fee will be small when compared to the potential costs of litigation and family turmoil between siblings.

When named executor, I normally ask that the document state that I receive my hourly fee rather than a percentage of the estate, which many lawyers take. I find the hourly fee is fairer for everyone involved. It represents the actual work done by the attorney.

More Planning Questions?

Choosing an appropriate executor is only a piece of the Estate Planning process. By all means, if you want to learn more, please read my more detailed article, Estate Planning Everything You Need to Know.

In Conclusion: Naming Multiple People as Pennsylvania Co-Executors

I hope that this article was helpful in explaining what to do if future executors aren’t getting along. Further, I included links to even more detailed information on my website so you can learn more. Therefore, please contact me and let me know how I did. Certainly, your comments and questions are welcome!

Let our Estate Planning lawyers help walk you through what can be a confusing process. To begin with, call to speak to one of our experienced estate planning lawyers.  By all means, our lawyers are ready to answer your questions. In fact, feel free to contact our office for a free consultation. Ultimately our goal is to make the process as painless as possible!

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Tags: Estate Planning, Estate Planning Attorney, Estate Planning Lawyer, Executor, Pennsylvania