Being an Executor

Being an Executor from People's Law School is for people who have been appointed as executor in a will. It covers the steps involved in dealing with an estate in British Columbia after a person dies, including how to probate a will. The information reflects the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, which became law in 2014.

Cover of Being an Executor

Contents

• Being Asked to Be an Executor
  • An executor carries out the instructions in a will · Being an executor can be a demanding job · You don’t have to act as executor · If you decide to act as executor, you can get help · There are some expenses and fees you can claim · There can be more than one executor · An executor’s role ends when the court formally discharges them · If you agree to being someone’s executor

• Ten Steps to Being an Executor
  • Step 1. Find the will · Step 2. Confirm the validity of the will · Step 3. Protect the assets · Step 4. Arrange the funeral · Step 5. Communicate with the beneficiaries · Step 6. List the assets and liabilities · Step 7. If necessary, apply for probate · Step 8. Deal with debts and taxes · Step 9. Account to the beneficiarie · Step 10. Distribute the estate

• Probating the Will
  • You must notify certain people that you intend to apply for probate · You need to file probate documents with the registry · Listing assets and liabilities · Probate fees are based on the gross value of the estate

• Resources
  • Where to Get Help · Glossary

• About
  • About Being an Executor · More from People's Law School

Copyright & Disclaimer

Being an Executor © People’s Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.

At People's Law School, we believe accurate, plain English information can help people take action to work out their legal problems. This resource explains in a general way the law that applies in British Columbia. It is not intended as legal advice. For help with a specific legal problem, contact a legal professional. Some sources of legal help are highlighted in the "Where to Get Help" section.

People's Law School

People's Law School is a non-profit society in British Columbia providing free education and information on the legal problems of daily life.