Schoonover's Estate
Schoonover's Estate
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Orrin L. Schoonover, of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, died testate on September 4,1906, and in his will, after making certain special bequests, and leaving the residue of his property to his “legal heirs,” he appointed W. C. Stephens as his executor. The “legal heirs” at his death were two brothers, a sister, a nephew and niece. The estate was large, and included varied interests, and its affairs were confused when they came into the hands of the executor. Foreseeing difficulties in the proper administration of the estate Mr. Stephens asked for a special agreement with the parties interested, as to his compensation, and they entered into a written agreement with him by which he was to receive for his services as executor, a commission of seven and one-half per cent, upon the gross assets of the estate, exclusive of necessary expenses. It was agreed that in so far as was consistent with the interests of the estate, distribution to the heirs and distributees should be made quarterly, and that the executor should receive his compensation quarterly. If feasible the estate was to be settled within four years, and the executor was to take $15,000 of commissions at the end of the first year of service. The estate was not settled within the time mentioned, nor was distribution made in strict compliance with the agreement, but no serious objection seems to have been made. The executor has filed three accounts. The first on October 29, 1907, the second on June 25, 1911, and the third on August 7,1912. The first and second accounts were confirmed by the Orphans’ Court without objection on the part of the heirs. To the third account exceptions were filed before the auditor, alleging among other things that
The assignments of error are overruled, the decree of the Orphans’ Court is affirmed, and this appeal is dismissed at the cost of appellant.
Reference
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- Syllabus
- Decedents’ estates — Executors—Compensation—Special contract —Performance. At tbe audit of an account of the executor of a decedent it appeared that the heirs had made a special contract with the executor, by which he was to receive seven and one-half per cent, upon the gross assets of the estate as his compensation, and that he was to receive a certain sum on account at the end of the first year, which was paid. Three accounts had been filed by the executor, the first and second of which were confirmed without objection. Upon the audit of the third account, it was claimed that the executor had charged a duplicate commission on a sum paid out as indebtedness, for which an insurance bond of a certain amount had been deposited as collateral, a commission being taken upon the sum of the two amounts. It was also contended that the executor was not entitled to so high a commission for the services which he had performed. The executor contended that the commissions awarded to him by the first and second accounts could not be inquired into. Held (1) the payment of commission on account at the audit of the first and second accounts did not preclude an examination of that question; (2) the charge for commissions upon the items above mentioned was not a duplicate commission, but a charge upon the gross assets in accordance with the contract; (3) no sufficient reason had been shown why the heirs should not be required to perform the agreement they had made, irrespective of the real value of the executor’s services.