For many people the hardest part of creating an estate plan isn’t deciding what to leave to their heirs, but deciding who they trust enough with the difficult job of administering their estate. The job of administrator requires a rare and unique combination of talents, and finding one person with all of these traits is not always an easy task.
Compassion – Your administrator will be working with your family and loved ones during one of the most difficult and emotional times imaginable; a kind and compassionate nature will soften what can often be a cold and heedless task.
Strength of Character – An estate administrator may sometimes have to give unexpected and unpleasant news; furthermore, he or she may have to contend with bureaucratic delays or relatives who disagree with something in your will or estate. Strength of character in the face of these challenges is a must.
Organization and Attention to Detail – Probate and estate administration are both tedious processes requiring a person to keep track of dates, numbers, rules, deadlines, and more. An attention to detail can prevent mistakes which can draw the process out even longer than necessary.
Familiarity With and Respect For Your Wishes – The most important quality in an estate administrator is that they be familiar with your wishes and preferences, and respect those wishes regardless of his or her own personal opinions. After all, this is your legacy you are leaving to your family and loved ones. The administrator plays a very important role, but in the end he or she is following through on your wishes and plans to protect and provide for the people you care about.
Ilene L. McCauley and Frederick H. Goldinov are licensed to practice law in the State of Arizona. The law firm of Goldinov & McCauley, PLC provides legal services for clients in the State of Arizona. The information provided on this website and our blog is general and educational in nature and should not be construed as legal or tax advice, nor does the use of the website create an attorney/client relationship. Laws of specific states or laws relevant to a particular situation may affect the applicability, accuracy or completeness of this information which cannot take the place of one-on-one personal legal consultation and advice. Federal and state laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. No legal representation is created, and we make no warranties with regard to the information or results obtained by its use. Neither the authors nor anyone forwarding or reproducing this work shall have any liability or responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this website or blog.