Legal advice please.....

[recycled sixtie]

I have just got back from the UK and my Mother's funeral. We went to the lawyer's office and I know your legal system is different from the UK one.

First off the lawyer wanted me to sign off as executor as it is too impractical as I live in Canada. My sister would do the signing of papers while I am in Canada. The original lawyer used to be the exec. with me and my sister but the lawyer has since retired. Is this okay in principle for one exec. only? The will states that the estate is to be divided 50/50 between my sister and myself with the grandchildren first getting a small amount each.
Do you think that it is satisfactory having my sister as the sole executive?

With approximately $3-4k in furniture and jewellery for myself and my sister, this is not stipulated who gets what in the will. We agreed to settle this between myself and my sister outside of the lawyers office. Obviously it is hard for me to bring back furniture to Canada(no desire to), how do we divide the jewellery, furniture up in an amicable way. Do we have an estate auction?
Could we bid on our own stuff if one of us wanted something badly enough? I know my sister has done a lot of work since my mother passed away.
Any ideas so I can keep the peace with my sister and have an amicable arrangement?Your advice about tenant's damage deposit set the bar high so I have not lost any friends or relatives yetI will not hold anybody responsible for advice given.

[peppy]

We just took turns, flip a coin and start picking until it is all gone. If someone got something you want, trade.

[Dottore]

It's perfectly fine to have a sole executor.

Furniture and jewellry is a small amount. Each of you should just take what you want and sell the rest.

[mepstein]

Give your sis what ever she wants and stay on good terms. Usually the opposite happens.

[Bill Douglas]

You are lucky to have your sis do all the work.

[Hugh R]

Originally Posted by peppy

We just took turns, flip a coin and start picking until it is all gone. If someone got something you want, trade.

This is basically what we did. Over a bottle of scotch, worked out great.

[on2wheels52]

Originally Posted by peppy

We just took turns, flip a coin and start picking until it is all gone. If someone got something you want, trade.

That worked for us also. No coin toss though, I think the oldest kid went first.
There was hardly any of the household stuff I wanted anyway.
And my sisters thought I should have all of dad's army 'stuff'. No drama.
Jim

[Dantilla]

My sisters and I ended up "Giving" each other stuff we thought they should have.

It was like the best Christmas ever.

Just like mepstein stated above, my recomendation is to let your sister have anything she wants. With a gesture like that, she may recipricate. But if she doesn't, please remember:

People are more important than stuff.

Even if the "stuff" has an emotional attachment, it's stuff. Your sister is what's important.

[recycled sixtie]

I am impressed that u all take the high road, some higher than others

[herr_oberst]

I am in total agreement with the "let sis take what she wants" approach. It's stuff. Find one or 2 special items and let the rest go. If she sells off the rest and you get a check, happy bonus day to you! :-)

Mom died last year; more stuff than I thought was going to ended up here at my house. Most of it's still out of sight, except a couple of portraits of my mom and dad in their twenties; these have a place of pride on my LR wall. The rest of it will probably just disappear.....