Blog & Resources

I am the Executor of a Lehigh County, Pennsylvania estate. Should I be worried about the beneficiaries attempting to surcharge me?

As an executor, you have a duty to take possession of, maintain and administer all the real and personal estate of the decedent. In essence, you must preserve and protect the property for distribution to the proper persons within a reasonable time, in the manner a reasonably prudent person would in their own affairs.

I am the executor of my mother’s estate in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. I have sold the real estate, liquidated all the assets and am ready to distribute, but my sister will not give me a release of liability. What can I do?

You are right to be concerned. Prior to making distributions from the estate, you should insist on getting a release of liability. This is typically done informally by using what is broadly referred to as a Family Settlement Agreement.

I am the personal representative of my brother’s Atlantic County, New Jersey estate and all the assets pass into trust for his minor children. I am worried his ex-wife will object to everything that I do as executor as she is unhappy that she doesn’t get control over the children’s money. What can I do to avoid trouble?

This is one of those situations where no good deed goes unpunished. You are serving as your brother’s executor to make sure your nieces and nephews are properly cared for, but by serving as personal representative you are also responsible for any mistakes or errors you make that reduce the children’s inheritance.

Direct estate administration questions lead to simple answers in some states, but require thoughtful analysis and create uncertainty in others. Klenk Law provides clarity on three frequently asked questions in Pennsylvania estate administration: Executor, Administrator and Personal Representative compensation.

As the executor of an estate, your expenses incurred in handling the estate are reimbursed from the estate assets. Typical examples are filing fees, parking fees, and money that you pay to have the estate assets secured or cleaned. You are also reimbursed for reasonable travel costs that were incurred only because of the estate.

As the executor of an estate in Burlington County, NJ, your expenses incurred in handling the estate are reimbursed from the estate assets. Typical examples are filing fees, parking fees, and money that you pay to have the estate assets secured or cleaned. You are also reimbursed for reasonable travel costs that were incurred only because of the estate.

First, if your Mother’s attorney is serving as the executor and will also be providing your mother’s estate legal services in Montgomery County, the attorney should not be charging both an executor’s fee and a fee for legal services based solely on a percentage of the estate.

As the executor of an estate, your expenses incurred in handling the estate are reimbursed from the estate assets. Typical examples are filing fees, parking fees, and money that you pay to have the estate assets secured or cleaned.

You are also reimbursed for reasonable travel costs that were incurred only because of the estate. For example, if you would have paid the airfare to attend your mother’s funeral whether you were the executor or not, then you would not be reimbursed. However, if you had to travel to the Surrogate’s office to file the will, then that cost can be reimbursed. You can be reimbursed a reasonable amount, which can include mileage on your auto.

Beneficiaries of Atlantic County estates will often approach us asking our help in keeping an eye on the estate’s executor. This is often the result of the executor not sharing information about the estate with the beneficiary, the executor’s unreasonable delays, or when the executor’s behavior has raised the beneficiary’s concern.

Beneficiaries of Florida estates will often approach us asking our help in keeping an eye on the estate’s Personal Representative (in most states this person is called an executor). This is often the result of the Personal Representative not sharing information about the estate with the beneficiary, the Personal Representative’s unreasonable delays, or when the Personal Representative’s behavior has raised the beneficiary’s concern.