Tips and thoughts on hiring an executor

As regular readers of this blog know, I am always going on about how important it is to select an executor for your estate with care. I am always urging you to put some real thought into your choice for this role. I've come across an article in http://www.capitalmagazine.ca/ that delivers a similar message, but also contains tips and ideas for making that choice. Click here to read the article.

You'll notice that the title of the piece is "hiring" an executor, not "bestowing an honour upon" an executor. The title sets the tone for the article by recognizing that being an executor is a tough job and you need to place the right person to get the job done.

Something I didn't see in this article that I think is very important is the need to name an alternate executor who will take over if your first choice has passed away or for some reason can't or won't take on the job. Unless you're naming a trust company as your first choice, you should name an alternate.