The funeral home will also provide the executor with copies of the death certificate, which will be needed for several purposes, including closing financial accounts, canceling any federal benefit payments and filing the final tax return.

FORBES: Understanding the Role and Responsibilities of an Executor

In the event that a caregiver cannot be found, the executor of a will can be authorized to find a satisfactory new home for a pet.

FORBES: Estate Plans Should Include Provisions for Pets

But when her father died in 1988, leaving her a comfortable inheritance and naming her the sole executor of his will, Schupf began to evolve into a different woman.

CNN: The power of the purse