Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Washington

Re: dispersement of assets

The power of attorney ended at your mother's death. If you are using it after her death you may be creating problems. The will should specify an executor or personal representative. That person should file a petition to probate the will. The filing of the will and its entry into probate and the filing of the oath of the EX-PR allows whoever the EX-PR is to get letters testatmentary that provide authority to dispose of the estate. If the estate is solvent and the other legatees agree the estate may be handled without intervention of the courts (after being admitted to probate), although the legatees have a right to ask for and receive an accounting if they think you are doing something not right. If all goes well after the admission to probate and issuance of the order granting non-intervention powers the next document entered could be the notice of closing of probate of the estate.