What can we do for you?

When you are appointed an Executor of someone’s estate you are responsible for:

• Arranging the funeral
• Cancelling driver’s licence, credit cards and memberships, mobile and internet providers
• Notifying banks, accountants and any relevant government departments such as Medicare and the Australian Tax Office
• Collecting, maintaining and protecting the Estate’s assets
• Preparing a list of all the Estate’s assets and liabilities and providing this to beneficiaries
• Identifying, locating and liaising with beneficiaries
• Applying for Probate of the Will
• Managing the Estate’s trust account and assets, pending distribution.

Failing to carry out these duties properly may result in losses that you could be held personally liable for.

If the Estate involves sizeable assets or complex structures – such as self-managed Superannuation funds, trusts, companies or family businesses – the task can become even more complicated.

We’ll ensure that everything is managed professionally, diligently and as smoothly as possible.

And all of this is at no personal cost to you as the professional fees come directly from the Estate.

Our Executor Assist service supports you in your role as Executor by undertaking the necessary steps in the administration of the Estate. You are in control of the service, so you decide which steps you want us to complete on your behalf. Losing someone you love is hard enough – let us administer the Estate so you can focus on your memories.

Meet Sarah, 59

“A couple of years ago, my mother Josephine, passed away. Years earlier, she had told me that she had made me Executor of her Will, but I hadn’t thought much of it until the time came to begin administering my mother’s estate. That time in my life was hard enough, as I struggled to come to terms with losing my mum, and the stress of acting as Executor started to take its toll. The list of tasks seemed huge, and Mum’s finances were in quite a complex state, including a large share portfolio, an investment property and some overseas assets. There were also some issues about how to split the estate equally between my siblings. My sister wanted to keep Mum’s house, and I was concerned this could cause a rift that would be hard to mend. When I realised that as Executor, I could be personally liable as a result of my actions or inactions, I decided to seek assistance.I spoke to an adviser about The Trust Company’s Executor Assist service. They explained the entire process, including my obligations and liabilities. They asked me how much or how little of the duties of an Executor I wanted to carry out. Because I was grieving and worried about my family, I asked them to take on almost everything, but I did want to go through Mum’s belongings myself. I spent a day with my sister in Mum’s house, sorting through keepsakes and sharing memories, and The Trust Company did the rest. They organised Probate, sorted out Mum’s financial affairs and put the house on the market. They then were able to provide me with tax advice as to the best way to split the assets.”

Meet David, 61

“I was 60 when my father, Jack, passed away. My mother was still alive, but Dad had named me as the Executor of his Will, so as not to burden Mum with the job. The Will was fairly simple, as Dad left his estate to Mum, and I felt comfortable about handling most of the administration. What worried me though, was how to get Probate. I was nervous that I’d get some of the legal aspects wrong, and then be personally liable, so I asked The Trust Company to help. They applied for Probate on my behalf, and kept me up to date with progress. Once it was done, they advised me that I could go ahead with my duties as Executor and administer the estate.”