Execution of a will

Execution of a will

The execution of a will can be devised by the testator himself/herself or mandated by a probate court. In order to ensure that the testator's assets are distributed according to his or her wishes after death, it is advisable to opt for an independent authority, namely an executor of estate.

In their function as executors, our experts ensure that the inheritance is executed strictly according to the provisions stipulated in the will - until all of the assets have been correctly and fully distributed. Only then has the executor completed his or her mandate. Until then, he or she acts as the testator's trustee.

In some cases this may mean that the executor administrates the inheritance for as long as it takes to distribute the assets to all the institutions and persons stipulated in the will. An example of this would be if underage relatives are to inherit a share of the inheritance once they come of age. Up until that point in time, our experts will retain the respective share of inheritance and fulfill all tax-related obligations pertaining to that share.

The executor is also responsible for locating all of the heirs stipulated in the will. Moreover, upon request our task is to administrate the testator's company after his or her death, to meet the testator's tax obligations, to collect debts and to sell or distribute personal possessions according to the testator's wishes. We can also advise and support the heirs with respect to tax-related matters. If necessary, we will ensure that the business operations continue and will operate the company for a limited period of time.

Furthermore, our experts strive to settle family disputes regarding the inheritance, if necessary. Seeing as they are authorized to distribute the inheritance as stipulated in the will, they can ensure that the assets are distributed correctly, even in the event of disagreement among the heirs.

For that reason it is always advisable to appoint an impartial person as an executor of estate, even if a family member could theoretically take on this task.