Estate Settlement and Trust Under Will

An executor bears the responsibility of carrying out the instructions contained in your will, and for taking all other steps necessary to settle your estate. Within one or two years, as a rule, your executor must gather together all the property you own; determine the date of death values; calculate what you owe and pay all debts; and distribute what remains to your family or to others as you direct.

Naming an inexperienced executor might be burdensome for that individual, and could negatively affect the handling of your estate. The Haverford Trust Company is well-qualified to serve as an executor. We are always available, financially responsible, experienced, and impartial. We can hire necessary experts, use group judgment and understand the personal considerations often needed in settling an estate. When you name Haverford Trust as your executor, you name experience.

After an estate is settled, your will may direct that the estate residue continues in trust for a spouse, child, or other beneficiary. While you may change the terms of your will or codicil during your lifetime, it becomes irrevocable upon your death. It is, therefore, critical to choose the right trustee, as a testamentary trust might continue for decades.

The trustee may be an individual or a company, such as Haverford Trust. We usually recommend a combination of the two, which creates the best coupling of a personally knowledgeable individual with the proven expertise of a trust company. As trustee, Haverford provides professional investment management, experienced trust administration, and excellent reporting.

In a word, we assure continuity to give you and your family the peace of mind that comes with our professional, yet personalized trust management.