My wife is executor of an estate left to her by her father. My (wife) is looking a piece of property to buy she was told by the trustee that it had to be looked at and approved by him before the funds would be released. As executor doesn't she have the control to sign a purchase agreement which binds a contract then request the funds?

I feel the trustee has too much control of the funds its like begging for crumbs.

Why is there a trustee? If the funds are in a trust, the trustee trumps executor. The executor is generally just an admninistrator, charged with the responsibility for issuing funds from the estate. But a trustee is charged with managing those funds.

Trustee was assigned so she wouldn't spend it in a year.

Trustee was assigned so she wouldn't spend it in a year.


Who requested the Trustee in order to conserve the money? The deceased? The Court?

Well that answers your question. If a trustee was assigned to assist the executor in managing this money then signing off on any major use of it makes sense.