#40 - 3 Challenges for Out-of-State Executors
Reluctant Executor News
About 41% of people name their adult children as executors of their will. This makes a lot of sense, their children are the ones that likely to understand their parent's wishes, know where things are located, and just have that overall responsibility to take care of their parent's final wishes.
But about 20% of adult children live more than 2 hours away from their parents. This distance creates challenges for executors. The most common things to consider for long distance executors are time needed to travel and cost. But there are specific things that can cause even more stress for out-of-state executors.
Lack of Mobility For In-Person Tasks
First, if you're helping your surviving parent and you live far away, you need to trust they will be able to follow through on in-person tasks. Many places require that the estate representative physically be present. For example, a bank will need you there to open a safety deposit box or maybe close out an account. Social security will not send documents requested over the phone, you must go to your local office. If your parent is not mobile, can't drive, or has other difficulties getting around, you'll need to figure out transportation for your parent. Keep in mind that most of these businesses are only open during the week and during business hours, which means if you want to drive your parent, you'll likely need to take time off of your work.
Some Understanding of Technology
An out of state executor will be able to handle many tasks over the phone. However, if you're helping your surviving parent, you may need their permission before a company will give you information. In these cases, you can have your parent on the call to give verbal consent, but you'll need to use 3-way calling to add them in. The good news is that 3-way calling is simple on most smart phones. But if this is a feature you've never used, or if you don't have a smart phone, you'll want to research how to do this prior to your call.
Knowledge of State Specific Inheritance and Estate Taxes
Estate laws can differ among the states. As an out-of-state executor, you will need to know which tax laws apply at the federal and state level. As of 2025, 18 states have either an inheritance or estate tax. Or in the case of Maryland, both. The type of tax, exemption amount, and tax rates all vary by state, and some give a discount if you pay within a certain timeframe. As an out-of-state executor, you may not be familiar with the laws that apply. Familiarizing yourself with this will help you plan distributions to heirs more effectively.
After Loss Services
Administering an estate when you don't live close is difficult. In addition to the challenges mentioned above, many tasks require someone to be physically present. Reluctant Executor's After Loss Services can help by being your local representative. If you or someone you know lives outside of the Central Texas area but is administering an estate there, schedule a call with us.