Losing someone is hard, and having to manage their estate can bring additional duties and challenges to this difficult time. Serving as a personal representative (sometimes called an executor) involves a variety of different tasks during the probate process.
What must a personal representative do?
The personal representative’s primary duty is to carry out the wishes of the deceased according to their will. This includes:
- Filing the will and initiating probate— First, the personal representative must find the will and file it with the local probate court to kick off the process.
- Notifying heirs—The personal representative must let all the potential heirs and people named in the will know what is happening.
- Making an inventory of the estate—The personal representative must make a list of everything the deceased owned, from houses and cars to bank accounts and stocks.
- Managing the estate– The estate requires management during the probate process. This includes paying any ongoing bills, looking after properties and handling investments.
- Paying debts and taxes—The personal representative must pay off a number of debts. This includes paying bills, filing a tax return for the person who passed and paying estate taxes.
- Distributing assets– After paying taxes and debts, they will distribute the rest of the estate to the people named in the will.
- Closing the estate– Finally, the personal representative must complete a final account of the estate and request to close the estate.
Because the probate process is complex, personal representatives may face a variety of challenges. Guidance during probate can help them complete each task with confidence.