Whether someone names you as executor in their will or a court appoints you to administer the estate, think carefully before trying to do it alone.
Sorting out a deceased person’s affairs and distributing their estate carries significant responsibility in both personal and legal terms. Many people accept the role without realizing what it entails, which can cause problems for them and the beneficiaries.
Your inexperience executing an estate will slow things down
Getting good at something takes practice. Think about your first day taking on a new role at work. You take more effort and time to do something than a colleague with experience would. Yet, it is time well spent because you will apply the skills you learn for months or years to come.
You are probably only going to execute an estate once. Going to all that effort to learn how to do it is not time well spent when you could hire someone in with that knowledge.
Delays could lead to mistrust from beneficiaries
If the beneficiaries feel you are slow or see you make mistakes, they may question if you are doing it right. Suspicions can already be high due to the money at stake so that people can jump to all sorts of uncharitable conclusions. Even if they understand you are doing your best, it can still cause frustration, as they may have an urgent need for the assets they are due.
When someone asks you to execute or administer an estate, they need you to do it well. You would not be afraid to seek help in other legal matters, so doing so here might be best for all concerned.