Suing An Estate Executor Without A Will In Wayne
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Good reasons to refuse to be someone's executor Lack of time or availability. There's a significant time commitment involved with managing the deceased's estate, including gathering assets, paying debts, filing taxes and distributing inheritances. Complexity of the estate. Disputes with heirs. Legal liability.
If the executor passes away without a valid will or no executor is available to act, another person with an interest in the estate will need to make an application for a grant of Letters of Administration with the Will Annexed and be appointed to administer the estate.
If no executors are willing to act, beneficiaries or the court may appoint someone else to administer the estate. This can be complicated even if beneficiaries agree on who should act, and more so if they do not agree.
This is because as a trustee, on behalf of a charity, you enter into contracts in your own name. If the contract is breached you may be held to be personally liable and your own personal assets may be at risk.
An executor is also responsible for dealing with the deceased's financial liabilities. This includes dealing with the income tax position of the deceased from the date of death to the end of the administration period, as well as any capital gains tax liability on the disposal of assets.
Administering an estate or trust can be a lengthy and complex process, often taking months or even years to complete. This responsibility may require a significant time commitment, which can be particularly challenging if you have a full-time job or other personal obligations.
Liability when an executor makes a mistake Unfortunately, a genuine mistake can sometimes snowball into a much bigger and often expensive problem that can be very complicated to resolve. The executor of an estate can be held personally liable for a mistake that results in a loss to the estate.
State laws typically govern the specific timeframe for keeping an estate open after death, but the average is about two years. The duration an estate remains open depends on how fast it goes through the probate process, how quickly the executor can fulfill their responsibilities, and the complexity of the estate.
The IRS generally has three years from the date taxpayers file their returns to assess any additional tax for that tax year. There are some limited exceptions to the three-year rule, including when taxpayers fail to file returns for specific years or file false or fraudulent returns.
