Not long ago, I met with Ralph at my law office in Stittsville near Ottawa. Ralph had recently lost his mother. In her Will she had named Ralph as the executor and he wanted to discuss his duties and responsibilities. Among the many things we talked about was how to access his mother’s cash and pay her bills.
I explained to Ralph that having a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee With a Will (‘probate’) issued by the court could take a couple of months. Without probate, he wouldn’t likely have control of her bank account. However, most banks will issue bank drafts drawn on the deceased’s bank account to pay bills if the executor provides:
• a notarial copy of the Will,
• an original proof of death and
• an invoice or bill in the deceased’s name.
If you have been appointed an executor, you likely have a lot of questions and you may be feeling a little overwhelmed. Make an appointment to meet with one of our lawyers today so we can get your questions answered and make your job as executor a little easier.
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Blog posts pre-dated December 1, 2015 were originally published under Neff Law Office Professional Corporation.
