Executor
The person named in a will to carry it out — gathering assets, paying debts, and distributing what remains. Some states call this role a personal representative.
Being an executor is a job, not an honor. It involves inventorying assets, dealing with creditors, filing paperwork, and answering to a court and to beneficiaries who may not agree with each other.
Name a backup, and make sure whoever you name has actually agreed and knows where your documents are.
Related Terms
Will
A legal document directing who receives what you own in your own name, and naming a guardian for any minor children.
Probate
The court process that validates a will, settles debts, and transfers what someone owned in their own name after they die.
Trustee
The person or institution responsible for managing a trust and following its instructions for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
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