When you pass away, your personal representative is responsible for gathering important estate planning documents and opening probate in California. This individual also has a serious fiduciary duty to manage your estate administration affairs until probate is closed. In order to do this effectively, it is recommended that you communicate what you expect from your personal representative and make it easy for them to find key documents.
You can save your family as well as your personal representative both money and time by organizing your important documents right now. The information and documents your executor may need include any instructions or a letter to your trustee on how to begin the process, details such as health insurance and medical information for your minor children, copies of key personal information such as passports, marriage and birth certificates, as well as people who should be contacted in the event of your death. Additionally, estate planning documents such as trusts, wills, personal property memorandums, and amendments should be easily accessible. You can also inform your personal representative about the location of these in advance.
This can include details on real estate and tangible property, bank accounts and investments, monthly expenses and bills, recent taxes, financial powers of attorney, and advanced health care directives. Furthermore, you may wish to include details such as retirement accounts, life insurance policies, memorial and burial or cremation wishes, and memberships, secured accounts, and passwords. By communicating this information clearly to your personal representative, you enable them to more appropriately and quickly address probate concerns.
Need help creating your own estate plan? Contact our Pasadena lawyers now for more support.
