Handling a loved one’s estate sounds straightforward until reality slams down with fine print, deadlines, and unexpected legal twists. First-time executors often imagine a calm process of honoring wishes, signing papers, and neatly wrapping things up. Instead, they step into a world where banks demand endless documents, taxes don’t forgive, and relatives suddenly turn into amateur lawyers.
The surprises can be eye-opening, stressful, and sometimes downright shocking. Here are ten rules about wills that catch almost every first-time executor off guard.
