What are the main duties of a personal representative (administrator/executor)?
The main tasks of a Personal Representative are to: • Determine if there are any probate assets; • Identify, gather, and inventory the assets of the deceased; • Receive payments due the estate, including interest, dividends, and other income (e.g., unpaid salary, vacation pay, and other company benefits); • Set up a checking account for the estate; • Figure out who is going to get what and how much under the Will (if there is no Will, the state’s “intestate succession laws” apply); • Value or appraise the estate’s assets; • Give legal notice to potential creditors (the procedure and deadlines for creditors to file claims vary from state-to-state); • Investigate the validity of all claims against the estate; • Pay funeral bills, outstanding debts, and valid claims; • Pay the expenses of administrating the estate; • Handle various paperwork, such as discontinuing utilities and charge cards, and notifying Social Security, Civil Service, and Veterans Administration of the death; • File and
