Throughout their lives, most people have parents to handle certain matters for them. Of course, as children become adults and parents age, the children often have to step in to handle certain matters for their parents. When a Texas parent passes away, an adult child may be the one in charge of handling probate matters.
When it comes to determining who is in charge, the information can hopefully be found in the parent’s will. Better yet, the parent will have discussed the appointment of his or her executor with the intended person before his or her passing. This discussion could allow the person to accept the role and prepare for it. Additionally, the person may already know where the estate planning documents are and how to access them.
If the parent did not create a will and subsequently did not appoint an executor, one will have to be appointed. Having to take this step can cause complications because there may be disputes over who will take on the role, and some parties may not feel confident in the person appointed by the court. Still, it is a necessary step if the decedent did not name a person ahead of time.
Being the person in charge of settling a parent’s final affairs is not an easy position to hold. Though some Texas residents may feel as if they have a duty to act as the executor, it can still be a difficult process to complete. Fortunately, parties in this position can receive help throughout the process from experienced probate attorneys.