If you have already named someone to execute your estate when you die, it’s likely you thought long and hard about choosing them. Despite this, it is important to remember that you always have the right to change your choice.
There are no conditions on when or why you can change your choice of executor. It is entirely up to you. Nevertheless, certain things should make you review whether that person is still the right choice. Here are some of them.
1. You are no longer sure you can trust them
Trust in a person can diminish for numerous reasons. With so much at stake, it’s safer to find someone you do trust if you are no longer sure you can trust your current executor.
2. They leave the area
Your chosen executor might decide to relocate. While many people do execute an estate from another state or even another country, it’s often simpler if they are close by. This allows them to be there in person to carry out many of the smaller tasks that can help the process go smoothly. An executor being in a different time zone to everyone else can also complicate things and cause unwelcome delays.
3. Their capacity to do the job seems less certain than before
When you chose someone, you were likely fully confident in them having the physical and mental ability to do a good job of executing your estate. Illness or age could change that. If you notice someone’s capabilities are dwindling, it may be safer to replace them with a new executor now as you cannot be sure when you will die or how their condition will develop.
If you do pick someone new to be your executor, be sure to learn how best to make that change in your estate plan.