Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I hire and pay ESS to do something I can do on my own?

• This is a legitimate expense just like legal and accounting services

  A family member or friend who has been appointed as Executor and takes responsibility for performing these tasks frequently finds them more time consuming and demanding than they thought it would be resulting in lost personal, family and work time and added stress. Additionally, the person(s) who take these on are often reluctant to charge for their time, supplies and expenses. In some cases this leads to feelings of resentment particularly where there is conflict amongst the beneficiaries or pressure from them to settle the Estate quickly.
  
  A professional estate administrator can perform tasks more efficiently and to negotiate favourable rates with local suppliers thereby saving the estate time and money.
  
  The hourly rate charged by ESS to find, negotiate and manage contracts is about 25% of the hourly rate charged for the provision of legal or accounting services.

How can spending money increase the value to the estate?

• Securing, protecting and monitoring the property

  We all like to trust people around us. The truth is that thieves do target homes of deceased people and some beneficiaries do remove items without first obtaining approval from the Executor.
  
  Having the property secured and monitored regularly reduces the risk of that happening. Regular monitoring, scheduled to coincide with the deceased person’s Insurance Policy helps to ensure that in the event of damage or loss, claims will be honoured.
  
  Having an independent third party secure and monitor the property allows the Executor to monitor and document the removal of items approved for distribution without taking time away from work and/or family.

• Sorting, packing, distributing, storing and disposing of property

  Businesses experienced in these tasks can not only perform these tasks more quickly as the have the required skills to the job, knowledge of available resources, pay wholesale prices for materials & supplies and are in a position to negotiate shipping and storage discounts.

• Filing, shredding and storing of personal documents

  
  

  Identity theft is of growing concern. Theft of mail, particularly anything with financial information, is used by identity thieves as this information can give the thief access to the person’s bank and/or credit accounts. Having someone collect and redirect mail in a timely manner reduces the risk of mail theft occurring.
  
  Individuals tend to keep their financial records handy so they can refer to it and have ready access to it when they need it. To prevent these documents getting into the hands of an identity thief it is important to identify, shred and/or store such materials in a secure facility and that they be handled by people you can trust. L. Blair & Associates has access to secure, bonded shredding and storage facilities that will ensure the deceased person’s privacy and identity. A box of documents (paper and/or plastics) can be shredded in under 5 minutes. For you to shred the same box of documents using a home shredder would take you at least 4 hours and you would run the risk of burning out your shredder.
  
  Individuals who have experience as an Executor are familiar with the types of documents that the Executor needs for settling the Estate. Employing someone who has such experience saves the Executor time and money as they can identify these items and pass them on the Executor and thereby save them time and money by not having to search for these items or request and pay for copies of them because they were inadvertently destroyed.

• Preparing the property for sale

  Ask any realtor, homes that are clean, in good condition and are staged sell more quickly and for more money. This adds to the monetary value of the Estate; helps the Executor to settle the Estate more quickly; reduces demands on the Executor’s time and energy; minimizes disruption to the Executor’s personal, family and work life and can reduce tensions amongst the beneficiaries. For example, National statistics indicate that staged homes sell for 3 to 10 percent more than homes that are not “staged”.
  
  Having someone experienced in preparing and negotiating contracts can also save the Executor money and time as they know the business and will include items that you may miss and therefore would likely pay extra for the work. In addition, they are also familiar with going rates for these services and therefore in a better position to negotiate favourable rates. As well, we will monitor the contractor to ensure that you get the services you pay for and that they are completed on time.

How do I know I can trust L. Blair & Associates with the Estate Assets?

• Lynne Blair was required to undergo an Enhanced Reliability Check and to pass it in order to work at Canadian Forces Base in Comox. This involved her passing both a credit and criminal records check.
  
  L. Blair & Associates BC Ltd. is a fully insured company and only hires companies who are fully insured and whose employees are bonded.

Where in BC does L. Blair & Associates BC Ltd. provide services to?

• L. Blair & Associates BC Ltd. provides Executor Support Services to Executors managing estates on Vancouver Island. They will also consider providing services to other communities in BC, located outside the Lower Mainland (Vancouver and the Fraser Valley).