When you appoint an executor of your will, you hope not to need them for a long time. A lot can change in a year, let alone a few decades, so do you need to tell your executor when things change? Or can you just leave them to work it all out when you die?
It’s up to you, but there are certainly a few good reasons to tell them about certain changes.
Firstly, it will simplify things for them and your loved ones
Your family does not want to be hanging around any longer than needed for the executor to fulfill their duties. If the executor has to spend a week hunting high and low for where you stored your details, then that is a waste of their time and your family’s.
Remember most executors don’t get paid for this role. Even though they can claim some expenses, it is effectively something they will give up a chunk of their time to do for you. If you do pay a professional they will likely bill your estate if they have to waste time above and beyond what they should because you did not leave them the current and correct details.
Secondly, it can avoid surprises
Executors can be under a lot of pressure to get things sorted when a testator dies. If they are a family member or friend, they will also need to grieve your loss. Surprises are not what they need at such a point, especially if those surprises are contentious and come as a surprise to others – for example, disinheriting someone who expected to inherit.
Consider legal help to find out more about what information could be useful to the person you choose to execute your will.