How to Resign or Decline Being the Executor of a Will. ... You can renounce your rights as executor and decline to act by simply signing and having notarized a Renunciation of Nominated Executor form and filing it with the Surrogate's Court in the county in which your aunt resided.

What happens if you renounce a will?

Once they have renounced by signing the Deed of Renunciation, their appointment as Executor is cancelled. Someone else – usually one or more of the Beneficiaries named in the Will – will then have to step in and do the job instead.

Can you renounce an inheritance?

The answer is yes. The technical term is "disclaiming" it. If you are considering disclaiming an inheritance, you need to understand the effect of your refusal—known as the "disclaimer"—and the procedure you must follow to ensure that it is considered qualified under federal and state law.