How to Choose Someone to Oversee Your Estate Plan

If you are over the age of 18, you could benefit from having an estate plan. This plan should include a will, trust and health care proxy. It should also contain plans for your funeral as well as appoint a guardian for any minor children who you may leave behind upon your passing. As your estate plan allows you to create a legacy and provide for future generations, it is important that you choose an executor, trustee or other representatives with care.

Make Sure a Representative Is Qualified to Serve

You don’t just want to appoint someone to be your estate’s executor without first talking to that person. Ideally, you will talk more about the details of the role, what that person’s responsibilities would be and discuss any concerns a prospective representative may have. This should also be done when choosing a trustee or any other surrogate to ensure that he or she is capable of doing the job. If you don’t have any friends who can fill a given role, an attorney or accountant may be able to step in.

Make Sure Everyone Has a Clear Role

There are times when individuals will have roles that overlap with each other. This can cause confusion and even infighting between parties that may not be able to work together. Whenever you ask someone to act in a given role, make sure that it is defined and separate from the responsibilities another person may have.

This Doesn’t Mean Several Parties Can’t Work Together

An estate planning attorney in Las Vegas can take care of the administrative side of an estate while a friend or family member oversees how assets are distributed. This can be ideal because it means an estate plan will be executed in accordance with the law and with the needs of a beneficiary.