Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Massachusetts

I am personal representative of an informal probate and in the process of setting up the estate checking account. I am waiting for the tax ID #. Can I reimburse myself for bills incurred for the purpose of the probate, by writing out a check to myself? How long do I need to keep the account open? I also would like to be reimbursed for acting as Power of Attorney which I was never paid for. It says in the will (which the court has) that my sister receive half of whatever is left of the estate. How do I dispute this? TY for your professional advice


Asked on 1/16/17, 5:49 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

You can reimburse yourself for expenses. Without reading the Will, I cannot say you are entitled to compensation for probating the estate. You need to have records for your expenses and you should keep the records for at least 3 years. I assume there are no estate taxes to pay. If you want to be paid for serving as Personal Representative, you are entitled to reasonable compensation, not a percentage. You need to disclose this to your sister. If she objects you need to ask the court for approval of your fee.

If the fee is reasonable, your sister should not object. It depends on what you had to do as Personal Representative.

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Answered on 1/16/17, 11:00 am


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