What is a medical executor?

The executor’s duties include things such as collecting debts owed to the estate, paying debts, and seeing that the beneficiaries receive what they’re entitled to under the will. Most people give health care power-of-attorney to a spouse or a child.

Who makes medical decisions if there is no power of attorney?

family member
Generally, decisions about a person’s financial and medical management are made according to the laws of the state they live in. In the event of medical incapacitation, usually a family member will be called upon to make any important decisions in the absence of a power of attorney.

What is a medical power of attorney called?

A medical power of attorney is also called a healthcare power of attorney (HCPA). This document is different than other legal documents related to end-of-life- healthcare decisions, such as an advance directive, living will, or a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order.

Can a health care proxy be an executor?

Some states combine them into one document, and some allow a single document to give the same person power of attorney and appoint them health care proxy (“health care power of attorney”).

What can an executor do to a beneficiary?

As an executor, you have a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries of the estate. That means you must manage the estate as if it were your own, taking care with the assets. So an executor can’t do anything that intentionally harms the interests of the beneficiaries.

Who is the best person to appoint as an executor of a will?

You may also wish to appoint a professional, such as a lawyer, accountant, bank, or trust company, as executor or co-executor. To help ensure that the needs of your minor children are taken care of in the event of your death, a legal guardian to care for them is usually named in the will.

What to look for in an executor of an estate?

The executor should have financial savvy and patience, because that person will be responsible for collecting the deceased’s assets, paying bills, submitting tax returns, submitting and petitioning for court documents, and distributing the assets to beneficiaries on behalf of the estate.