Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Massachusetts

Sharing in the estate and being appointed executor are two different matters. The executor administers the estate for the benefit of all heirs. I recommend that you go to the Probate Court and examine the file to see what was actually filed. Has she been appointed yet? Was the will valid and proper? Are the heirs properly listed? Do you want to object to your sister being appointed?

You should take a look at the will. A lot of wills have clauses that name the desired executor. If the will does not specify who the executor should be, then yes, people can file to be executor - and yes, you can object to his/her appointment. Doing repairs on a property is standard practice and is usually paid for by the estate, but that's assuming your sister is preparing it for sale to be split among the beneficiaries and not preparing it for herself (that would be another issue). Your sister has to provide an accounting of every penny of the estate that is being spent. Most importantly, NO, your sister cannot inherit differently from what the will says just because she is executor.