What does an executor do?

An executor is the person named in a will to handle the estate. After court appointment, the executor usually collects and protects property, pays valid expenses and taxes, keeps records, and distributes the remaining estate under the will and state law.

General information

• Naming someone does not give immediate authority during the person's life.
• The court may require notices, reports, or a bond.
• The executor has a fiduciary duty to the estate.

Service steps to consider

1. Considering the choice of a responsible adult with time and group skills.
2. Considering whether to name a backup.
3. Considering whether to tell the person where the original will and records are stored.

Quick check

• Can this person do the work?
• Do they know where the forms are?
• Did I name a backup?

How Complete Wills can help

Complete Wills' questionnaires let customers name primary and backup executors, trustees, financial agents, and health-care agents. The service can explain what a field asks for. But it cannot select a person, assess a conflict, or decide whether one person may hold several roles in a particular situation. Customer support can explain website features and questionnaire fields, but it cannot choose documents, people, distributions, or legal terms, interpret a completed document, or explain how the law applies to a person's facts. Only a separately engaged licensed attorney may provide legal advice within the attorney's engagement.

Important limits

• These positions carry legal duties. The person named may need to accept the role and, for an estate, receive court appointment.
• A licensed attorney can provide advice when family conflict, business ownership, complex assets, or a questionable decision-maker creates risk. This article gives general information only. A licensed attorney can explain how state law applies to a specific estate plan or document.