[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/should-your-oldest-child-be-the-executor-of-your-estate\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/should-your-oldest-child-be-the-executor-of-your-estate\/","headline":"Should Your Oldest Child Be The Executor of Your Estate?","name":"Should Your Oldest Child Be The Executor of Your Estate?","description":"Traditionally, many people name their oldest adult child to be the executor of their estate \u2013 but this is done out of a sense of propriety, not necessarily rationally. Selecting your oldest to be your executor could, in fact, lead to numerous problems. Consider these: There may be a huge potential for family conflict Younger […]","datePublished":"2024-06-29","dateModified":"2025-07-28","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/author\/penningtonlaw\/#Person","name":"Pennington Law, PLLC","url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/author\/penningtonlaw\/","identifier":6,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/35dc6853b9d9833af8623c784bd8cc1436ceca0be7925133d99c37afece2b1e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/35dc6853b9d9833af8623c784bd8cc1436ceca0be7925133d99c37afece2b1e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Pennington Law, PLLC","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/logo-2.png","url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/logo-2.png","width":209,"height":126}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Untitled-design-2024-06-25T184630.305.png","url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Untitled-design-2024-06-25T184630.305.png","height":400,"width":600},"url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/should-your-oldest-child-be-the-executor-of-your-estate\/","about":["Estate Planning"],"wordCount":298,"articleBody":"Traditionally, many people name their oldest adult child to be the executor of their estate \u2013 but this is done out of a sense of propriety, not necessarily rationally.Selecting your oldest to be your executor could, in fact, lead to numerous problems. Consider these:There may be a huge potential for family conflictYounger children may feel like you favor the eldest because the notion that birth order matters is pretty archaic. Plus, you may not even be aware of simmering resentments or hostilities between your adult children \u2013 all of which may boil over once your oldest child is perceived to have any kind of \u201cpower\u201d over the other children due to their position as executor.Finally, there is always the possibility for your executor to do something that creates more problems. If your oldest makes decisions for your estate that their siblings don\u2019t agree with, that can lead to strains in even previously good relationships that may never disappear again.There\u2019s no guarantee your oldest can handle the jobBeing the oldest child doesn\u2019t grant someone any particular knowledge or skills \u2013 and being an executor is a big job. It involves a lot of paperwork, deadlines, practical concerns related to the preservation and management of assets, financial decisions and the ability to navigate the interpersonal dynamics between all the estate\u2019s beneficiaries.If your oldest isn\u2019t financially savvy, organized, responsible, fair and living close by, you could be unduly burdening them \u2013 and your other children \u2013 through this appointment.Ultimately, it\u2019s better to pick \u201cthe best person for the job\u201d as your executor, rather than rely on custom. Exploring your options as you create an estate plan can help you make a good choice. \u00a0Call or\u00a0contact us\u00a0for your free initial\u00a0consultation."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Should Your Oldest Child Be The Executor of Your Estate?","item":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/should-your-oldest-child-be-the-executor-of-your-estate\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]