But the process can produce anxiety in other family members, too. For instance, there may be Inheritance Tax to pay, properties to sell, or foreign assets to locate. Some Estates will be particularly complex. But an executor’s authority isn’t endless. Alternate Executors. The executor can then get it endorsed in their name, cashed, sold or get authority to transfer it to a beneficiary. That is clearly a violation of your sister’s fiduciary duty as executor of your mother’s estate. Are you the executor of an estate who is struggling due to a poor relationship with the estate beneficiaries? - Answered by a verified Estate Lawyer. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. View Full Version : Can the executor of a will ignore the will's directions - if all the heirs agree? When making a Will, people often ask whether an Executor can also be a Beneficiary.The answer is yes, it's perfectly normal (and perfectly legal) to name the same person (or people) as both an Executor and a Beneficiary in your Will. The heirs or beneficiaries can also pursue a civil lawsuit to recover lost or stolen assets, and legal fees or may ask the court to compel the distribution of certain funds or assets. If the person named as executor feels strongly about the nature of the bequests, (s)he can refuse to be an executor. But there may be a way around some of these problems. Problems sometimes arise when beneficiaries come to believe that an executor is in breach of their duties, often through delay, and it can be very frustrating trying to get information from an uncooperative executor. The executor manages and protects assets – for example, making sure the decedent's home is secured – until assets can be passed to beneficiaries or sold and the proceeds given to the beneficiaries. Yes, an executor can be one of the two official witnesses you need to ensure your will is valid – but only if they are not a beneficiary. These allegations can be personal and sensitive, especially if that person is known or related to the executor, or there are already strained relations between the executor and the applicant. e.g. The next of kin can apply for the Grant once they have obtained a court order. No, the executor works for the estate. What to do if the executor does not follow the will Only 10% was to be split between the remaining three grandchildren. Executors sometimes think it is fine to ignore bequests they disagree with and distribute on what they believe the deceased would have wanted. 5. 12-05-2015, 04:12 PM. Absolutely not. Executors can be placed in a difficult position when a will is challenged. If they ignore the challenge and go ahead with a distribution then they can be held personally liable. In the UK, an executor is there to administer the estate according to the wishes of the deceased, not apply their own view of what should happen. The main duty of an Executor is to administer the estate and distribute the deceased’s assets as per the deceased’s Will. This is done by signing a renunciation form that can be included with the will when applying for probate. Therefore, you cannot simply ignore or change the terms of a Trust or Will without serious repercussions. Consider using a professional executor. Acting as the executor of an estate can be a difficult job. The executor then sends the confirmation or certificates to the person or organisation who possesses or registers the item. 7 May 2014 at 7:11PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Deaths, Funerals & Probate. 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