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As an executor you must be able to act impartially on behalf of all beneficiaries. You must also have the presence of mind to take care of many tasks very soon after the decedent's parting.

It is crucial that as an executor you have the time needed to devote to settling the estate. The tasks involved can be very demanding and you may have to meet with different experts, including a lawyer, financial advisor and insurance agent.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Arrange the funeral:
As the executor you must obtain the death certificate and make the funeral arrangements.

Locate the most current will:
After you find and review the will, you may needed to meet with a lawyer to apply for probate, which confirms your authority to act on behalf of the estate.

Inform Beneficiarieses:
As soon as possible, you must let beneficiaries know they were included in the will. As the process moves forward, the executor should keep everyone informed about the progress, as well as any delays, and when heirs might expect to receive their inheritance.

Notify organizations and business associates:
All the financial institutions and organizations the deceased dealt with must be informed of the death. This includes banks, credit card companies. investment companies, insurance companies, and landlords. It also includes club memberships, charities previously donated to, magazine subscriptions and service providers such as telephone, cable, etc. Any pre-authorized payments will have to be stopped. As executor, open a bank account for the estate so any credits made payable to the estate can be easily accounted for.

Claim benefit:
The executor must apply for life insurance benefits and pension plan death benefits, if applicable.

Compile a comprehensive list of estate assets:
One of the most time-consuming tasks an executor must complete is to create a list of all assets- every bank account, registered plan, investment, pension, property and other items in the estate. Then you must locate each asset, secure value and insure it, if applicable. As executor you will manage the assets in the estate until they are disbursed according to the responsibilities assigned to the executor in the will. The executor must keep detailed records of anything that is bought or sold on behalf of the estate, for the courts and beneficiaries.

Pay estate debts and expenses:
The executor is responsible for paying all debts an expenses owed by the estate, including funeral bills and taxes. Generally, the money to pay theses costs come from the estate. However, if an executor distributes all assets of an estate and then discovers an unpaid bill, he or she can be personally liable for the expense.

File the final tax return:
File outstanding tax returns from past years and a final return for the year of death. In addition, each year the estate retains any assets, an estate tax return must be filed.

Administer trusts set up in will:
If there are any assets in trust for a beneficiary – for example, until a child turns 18 years old – and the executor is appointed as trustee, the executor must manage the assets for as long as the trusts exists.

Distribute bequests:
the 4 most obvious task of an executor is to distribute the bequests. This includes personal items, such as family heirlooms, and financial investments such as property, stock and bonds. While smaller items may be disbursed right away, the remainder of the estate should generally remain in the executor's hands until the final tax return has been filed and a tax clearance certificate is issued. This ensures the executor will be able to pay any taxes due from the estate.

How is the executor compensated:
Fulfilling all of the responsibilities of an executor can be difficult and time consuming. In many cases, an estate will not be settled for many months or even years, during which time the executor could spend hundreds of hours working out the details, Legally, an executor is entitled to compensation from the estate, even though friends and family often forgo payment.

Settling an estate, even a simple one, involves plenty of loose ends and detail. For your own protection, you should keep a copy of all records for at least two years. Don't hesitate to seek the guidance of a professional if you need help or become overwhelmed.

The person you select to manage your estate and carry out your wishes is an executor or executrix if a female. An executor may also be appointed if one has not been chosen by you. Choosing your executor is one of the most critical decisions you have to make when you draw up your will. The executor controls the estate from the time of death until the last federal and state tax returns are filed and all assets have been distributed to the beneficiaries.

Generally, an executor takes charge of the decedent's assets and/or property and ensures all outstanding debts, charges and taxes are paid before distributing the net assets to the beneficiaries of the will. The executor is entitled to be reimbursed from the proceeded of the estate for expenses incurred in settling the estate.

A financial professional such as a CPA can be named co-executor to help guide a family member through the process.

You don't have to spend all your time indoors this spring – enjoy the weather and take your spring-cleaning outside! Have fun uncovering that summer furniture and preparing the outside of your home for summer entertaining.

During the winter, the garage tends to be a place where things seem to get stored. Separate items in piles depending on category. Gardening tools, winter equipment, sporting equipment and tools should all be separated. During the sorting process put into action the phrase "when in doubt, throw it out." Make a note of which items you use more often, such as the lawn mower, bikes and pool/beach items, and keep those items in a more convenient and easy to access location.

Check shrubs and trees for winter damage and prune accordingly. Remove deadwood or broken branches. Replant any shrubs that have come out of the soil during a freeze-thaw cycle. Give the yard a fresh look by cleaning mulch in the yard. Remove the top layer of mulch, pull any weeds and put down a fresh coat or your favorite mulching material. Plant some spring flowers and prepare pots for new plants and flowers. Some plants may have to be potted indoors so they start out healthy before moving outside. Mow the lawn if it is tall in some areas, but don't cut it as short as you normally would in the summer.

Sweep away leaves, dirt, and twigs that have accumulated over the winter from your patio, porch or deck. You may want to spray the area with a garden hose if the debris has piled up significantly or if it is difficult to remove. once the area is clean, tackle your outdoor furniture. Wipe down each piece with a wet cloth before applying your cleaning solution. With the right cleaning solution and a little elbow power, you can restore your outdoor furniture to its pre-winter condition.

Clean the grill to ensure a safe barbecue. If you use a gas grill, first you want to be sure the gas connection is still safe. Mix some dish soap and water and brush it onto the connection. If any bubbles form when you turn on the gas, you will know there is a leak and it is not safe. When using a gas grill or charcoal grill, the next step is to use a wire brush to get off as much of the baked-in grease and food that you can. Sometimes it is easier to do this if the grill is hot.

Now you re ready for the long lazy days of summer. Enjoy!

The best way to start spring cleaning is to first clean out all of the clutter from the house. You may need to recruit the help of a professional junk and rubbish removal company to help remove all of the items from the attic and basement. When you are in the process of removing items, you will want to separate everything into piles. Put the items you want to keep into one pile. Put the items that can be recycled or donated into another pile. The last pile will be for all the items you no longer want or use. The professional junk and rubbish removal company could cart away this pile for you. By separating the items as you bring them down from the attic or from the basement, you will find it a lot easier to get everything organized.

The Attic:

Once all of the items have been removed from the attic you will want to take the time to clean it out thoroughly. Now is also a good time for a through inspection. You will want to see if there are any holes or leaks. Holes in the attic could mean there are little critters living there. If the attic is small you may need to do a little crawling around to see if there are any holes. If you do find holes, even small holes, you will want to make the time to repair and patch them properly. You should also check the insulation to see if anything needs to be fixed or replaced. Be sure to check for leaks. If you see signs of a leak, the roof may need to be repaired.

Once you have finished checking the attic you will want to put the items you need to store back in an organized way. Be sure to store the items in plastic bins, and not in cardboard boxes. Cardboard boxes usually don't last as long as the plastic storage bins and plastic will keep small pests from rummaging through your items.

The Basement:

Even if your basement is the least visited area of your house, keeping it clean and organized is important. If you have things like chemicals or paint, check how long they are good for. If you know you won't use them by the expiration date, look at the label for the proper disposal technique. Also make sure you read the label to see what the chemical should or should not be stored with.

Even if you don't notice any mold in your basement, spores can hide in the tiniest of creases. A suggested mixture to clean and sanitize is 1 cup of bleach and 1 gallon of water. Clean the walls and floor thoroughly and dry them as well as you can. Use a dehumidifier for at least the next few days to reduce the risk of mold growth.

Install a shelving unit that will work best with your storage items. Arrange the objects and materials you want to put on the shelves by size and weight. Remember to put heavy items closer to the bottom of your shelving unit. For items that you will place on the floor, consider building or buying a small platform to put in a corner of the basement. The platform will prevent your items from getting dirty and, if your basement has a flooding problem, this will also protect your items from water damage.

Once you have decided which items you will keep in your attic or basement, you will want to put them back in an organized manner. The assistance of a professional organizer could prove to be helpful.