Should You Name One Executor or Multiple Co-Executors?

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Many people and couples agonize over the decision as to who to name as their executor. People often ask, "What's better - naming one executor or more than one?"

There is no one right or wrong here. People who select one executor typically are confident that the individual is responsible, gets things done, has good relationships with all of the heirs, and perhaps may be geographically near the testator.

This post is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read on this site. Using this site or communicating with Rabalais Estate Planning, LLC, through this site does not form an attorney/client relationship.

Paul Rabalais
Estate Planning Attorney
Phone: [phone]

People who choose multiple co-executors often feel like they don't want to offend the heirs (particularly when the heirs are all of children), so they will name both children (or all of the children) as co-executors.

Note that the similar concepts apply when you are selecting the successor trustee(s) of your revocable living trust. You can name one trustee or multiple co-trustees.

[richard]

This was helpful. When I came to this question for our Trust today I knew where to get solid information. Thanks

[loverofKash]

Hi Paul, I'm learning something new with every episode I watch, thank you!

[privateprivate]

Sorry but, just seeing the title, given my situation, although horrible, I had to laugh at the idea of co-executorship.

My sister illegally self-appointed as executor for our mother’s estate, which included 2 properties and thought that being an executor meant that she just lives in on property, pays the property taxes for the one and “allows” me to live on the other property, like she’s my landlord, telling me how to care for the property.

I had to draw up the OSC, VC and Proposed Form of Judgement myself, with zero legal background, to apply for executorship, because most lawyers wouldn’t take the case, as they considered her maintaining radio silence, as the case already being contested and not worth what monies they might get — and I offered her that we could be co-executors. She didn’t want that.

Now, we have a court-appointed admin, that has to be told that it doesn’t matter what personal assets we divide up — if she hasn’t reconstructed my mother’s taxes and we don’t even know if there’s real estate to inherit, due to that. My mother told me she stopped filing taxes years ago and both homes are hoarded so, I’m unsure how that will be done.

All and all, whether it’s co-executorship or dealing with the court, I just try to keep a fire wall between me and all of this, while I know that, until this case is closed, I’m chained to this Dunning Kruger idiot. The only good side, is that I’m working to ensure my sister inherits nothing from me, when I pass.

[Gigi-]

Do the executors co executors all have access to look at the financial records and bank statements?

[finsterthecat]

My mother named her spouse and then my brother as executors. Yet they are unable to fill the position. Now my older sister wants to be appointed executor which I would have to sign a form to help have her appointed.
Yet so far she seems more focused on getting the house ready to be flipped (that is her and her husband profesión) which is fine I don’t know much about real estate.
Yet I want to focus on mothers finances, her banks wrapping up those details first.
We both live out of state yet I am closer. I also have more time to deal with the red tape than she does. So I wonder why she should be the executor and not I.
It’s a thankless job but I worry she is a little naive on what is important to get done first.

[BobPicc]

One idea is to name all of the children as co-executors (or co-successor trustees), and make the recommendation to them (before you die) that they decide among themselves who should be the sole executor at the time you die. The other children could then resign their role. This allows the children to protect themselves from the other siblings if need be, yet also take advantage of the simplicity of a single executor if their relationship and situation allows. You always hope that the children will have a great relationship and trust each other, but you never know what situation might exist many years in the future when you pass away.

[ltywmnp]

Maybe she owes me more, it should have been due a long time ago, she has a US belt but she is not an American, I know everything

[ltywmnp]

Good day, this person owes me money, in $ and €, I paid everything, I have the fine for her change documents. She also has money, I am from the Czech Republic 🇨🇿 and she owes me a total of 80 thousand maybe more, I know where you work

[mikekretmar]

How does this apply to the TDA account that my mommy and daddy aka the state created in my all caps, the corporation that I wasn't told about, the corpse they turned me into, and by my parents signing the birth certificate they surrendered their parental rights making the state mommy and daddy, which then the state made me dead lost at sea, where they then took my meatsuit fully bonded it fully insured it and created a trust account in Lucifers meatsuit, which is my name in all caps.because the Holy Spirit created the spirit, made in The Lord's image, light frequency energy vibration and God aka Lucifer created the meat suit, he picked up the dirt and blew into it and the meatsuits were created, because gods are fallen, Baal Enki, Enlil, Ishtar and Lucifer are God's, there 200 in all, because in the beginning Adam and Eve were spirit, created by the Holy Spirit, where they had full authority over themselves and over the land, not until Eve ate from the Tree of knowledge is when the Lord took notice and the spirit went into the prison which is the meat suit where the state gave rise to the TDA account, in my meatsuits name. and as spirit on the land because that's Babel bound to the water, which is bound to the United, States, aka water aka law of the water aka Babel the language of Lucifer aka Enki, which is all bound to the United States, aka meatsuit) and the land which is bound to America aka spirit aka Lord's language aka the law of the land aka supreme law of the land and anything else that stands against it isn't direct violation against the land and America and most of all the Lord And stands in direct violation of treason.is what your talking about, and how does this all apply to my tda.and since all documents, title deed, mortgage, and bills are written in Babel, which is word play, trickery through words and phrases it's a federal crime under article 15c, you can not trick and deceive people to wordplay which is Babel, the English language because when the Lord broke up the language, Lucifer or the controllers broke up the words, one word has many different meanings so all our documents are void, there fraudulent, they carry no weight because they're written in Babel, you can't trick and deceive through wordplay and Babel is bound to the water to the United States, on the land to be lega, l to carry weight, it must be written in the Lord's language, which is bound to the land and what is currency to you.you know a river flows, the current aka currency brings the volume of paper, aka water along the shores, aka were its distributedit to the what, banks and the banks are along the shore, so the dollar is SHIT PAPER ITS NOT CURRENCY it's negative value opposite of worth everything Lucifer does is backwards upside down and opposite of so please can you tell me how this applies to the meatsuit me being executor of And remember, VERY IMPORTANT,
, if you lay claim to the meatsuit aka and become the executor, you now contracted with Lucifer, a vampire just can't walk into your house, he has to be invited in and by you becoming executor you're laying claim to the meat suit, you let the vampire in, meaning just like Adam and Eve, when she ate from the Tree of knowledge, the Lord pulled the plug, they lost all authority over themselves and over the land and they were sent into the prison of flesh, and so it shall be with you, by signing you lose all authority over yourself and over the land and you will not go to heaven, you have there forth have been captured and bound to the prison of flesh and will go straight to hell by becoming the executor, You aren't direct violation of the Lord and you lose period, that's what Jesus Christ meant when he said those will perish due to lack of knowledge.