Executor Navigator efficiently handles estate tasks, allowing executors to focus on healing, while seamlessly coordinating with your legal and financial teams.
Executor Navigator services will help you with the business and administrative tasks needed to settle your loved one’s estate in an impartial, efficient manner. Allowing Executors and Administrators time to focus on managing the emotional stress of losing a loved one.
These Estate Administration services range from simple as-needed consulting to full “hands-on” services that include searching through documents and canceling utilities to preparing final accounting reports for the estate – and all the steps in between. See our Executor Services Tier page for details.
The goal is to significantly reduce the overall effort, time, and expense to settle an estate. I’m that missing piece that joins together your Probate Attorney, CPA, Financial Planner, and others on your team.
My transparent and accountable process keeps you in the loop every step of the way and provides peace of mind to both executors and beneficiaries.
More about these services are listed in the “Common Questions” below.
Reduce the heavy burden so you can mourn & process.
Tailored and proactive plans save time and money.
Neutral 3rd party to decrease family tensions
Your loved one’s estate is being handled with care.
Secure document sharing, reporting, & communication
Full disclosure, transparency | no side-deals
According to some studies, the average Estate takes about 500 hours and 12 to 18 months to complete for an inexperienced executor.
Do you have 500 hours to spare?
Busy work schedules, family responsibilities, life events, or simply being overwhelmed are common reasons why Executors and Administrators delay performing critical estate tasks.
My experience and planning will help you avoid common estate administration mistakes and help detect potential problems well in advance.
Sometimes these issues require specialized professionals. I can anticipate their information needs and the estate will be well prepared. This reduces the "back and forth" and minimizes fees and time.
Part of my job is to work in conjunction with a Probate Attorney to help the estate avoid triggering serious financial or legal penalties.
I keep track of tasks and timelines, noting what the estate completes and following up with third parties as needed. If a third party misses a deadline because of their delays, there's a paper (or electronic) trail.
Not many people have experience with the probate process or even the complexities of administrating and closing out an estate or trust. Beneficiaries become concerned if events are not progressing as quickly as hoped. Communicating the overall plan and progress builds support and trust.
I offer regular meetings and online access to status reports to our full-service clients. I am happy to share or give view-only access to heirs to keep them informed.
The goal is to help you administer your estate quickly and effectively to preserve your loved one's legacy.
I am background checked, bonded, and have both Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance as well as General Liability. Documentation can be provided upon request.
do not receive any payments or benefits for referring people to specialized services, and only refer people to trusted service providers based on their reputation and skill set. I never release any information about our clients without their explicit permission.
I cannot provide legal advice; my focus is on the business side of estate administration. Except for some extremely small estates that can demonstrate solvency, meaning it has more in assets than debts, an Attorney is required for probate in Texas. See Small Estate Affidavit or Muniment of Title for examples of smaller or less complicated estate remediation alternatives.
If your estate is going through probate, I will coordinate closely with the estate’s probate attorney to ensure they get the information and reporting needed to optimize case completion.
By working with me, you may have an opportunity to negotiate a better representation rate with your estate’s attorney. I can help you obtain such things as an EIN, publish newspaper notifications, send and track notifications to creditors, do proper accounting and recordkeeping, etc. This will significantly reduce the time the estate’s attorney will need to spend on housekeeping tasks and focus more on important legal aspects.
Although I can efficiently manage the process on our end, and initiate and complete timely follow-through, I cannot control how quickly other parties can perform their part. Much depends upon the complexity of the case and how well other parties step up in providing information. A typical estate with a typical executor could take longer than a year (16 months, by some estimates).
Estate Sales providers, for example, are often booked up weeks in advance, and court proceedings, if your case requires court appearances, have their docket schedule, etc. What I can do is guide you in constructing an efficient plan early in the process, organize and identify potential bottlenecks, and adapt accordingly.
Things that often increase time for resolution:
Although I can’t make your family like one another, my services can address most other issues. I provide focused project management, quick turnaround, and attention to problem areas, so nothing falls through the cracks. I work closely with any other needed professionals so things go more smoothly. And, because this is my “job,” there are no conflicts regarding work-life balance – you don’t need to take off work to attend to phone calls, meetings, or the various errands that occur during a typical workweek.
I provide frequent progress reports and accounting details that the Executor or Administrator can share with beneficiaries. I am happy to include anyone on that distribution list. This lets beneficiaries know what is happening and that things are progressing.
Just as an Executor or Administrator would normally be compensated for their time, fees from any attorneys, CPAs, Realtor, and other services are separate. That said, I only suggest bringing in these parties when:
Because the estate will be well organized, and I will do extra diligence in scoping out potential problem areas, the estate will have the issue well-defined before I suggest we engage these professionals. As such, their billable hours are focused on applying their expertise, not inflated because of needless rote, administrative tasks. On that same token, I’m not hiring out folks (subcontractors) and then building in
Ideally, the Executor or Administrator has sole transactional authority on the estate bank account. I ask for “Accountant” access, which is read-only, that allows me to simply view/download transactions online and do account reconciliations. This is best for the estate’s interest in that there is a separation of duties.
If your estate requires bill-paying services, I can accommodate with appropriate safeguards for the estate and the Executor, who has an ultimate fiduciary responsibility to it.
I cannot sell anything without your explicit authorization or sign-off. For example, you would have the only authority to sign an auto title, but I would do all the other necessary arrangements as you need.
Regardless of access level, I observe prudent checks and balances so that anything I do is transparent, confirmed and signed off by the Executor or Administrator before completing, and easily reviewed. In addition to being background checked (report available upon request), I have a Surety Bond, Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance, plus General Liability Insurance to protect everyone’s interests.
If you require more extensive services, I can obtain a Fiduciary Bond and related insurance, however, that changes the fee structure.
My goal is to provide you with an unbiased and straightforward assessment of your estate and work with you to develop a plan for its administration that minimizes expenses and time to complete, yet maximizes the long-term value of your loved one’s legacy. Think of yourself as the CEO of the estate and me as your Chief of Staff or Vice-President, as it were.
No estate is too small or too messy. I don’t judge; my job is to make things smoother for you.
We can do almost anything that an Executor or Administrator is tasked to do, provided you have given us the proper permissions and as long it does not constitute a fiduciary capacity. (I can take on that capacity, but the fee structure is different and something we need to discuss). In short, I analyze your situation in the context of the probate attorney’s (if any) input, suggest a plan, and give advice, but you make the final decisions for us to carry out. For example (but not limited to):
That depends on the needs of the estate and your comfort level. Initially, there will be meetings to pick up documents, assist with inventory, and even perhaps meet you to establish the bank account or at the attorneys. After that, there will be occasional meetings for you to sign checks or documents that can’t be e-signed. Status meetings can easily be held virtually during a convenient time for you.
