Estate Executor Duties: What the Job Really Involves and Why It's Hard

Being named an executor means being given legal responsibility to settle someone's estate after they die — carrying out the instructions in their will, or following local inheritance law if there is no will. Three sources consulted for this guide — a Canadian financial-news report, an Australian legal-affairs story, and the nonprofit resource site executor.org — describe a role that is far larger and more time-consuming than most people expect.

What an executor actually does

According to executor.org, settling an estate typically involves more than 100 individual tasks. The site lists 15 core duties, starting with learning what the role entails and reviewing the will, then moving through planning the funeral, filing the will with the probate court, obtaining death certificates, notifying banks and government agencies, locating and valuing assets, paying debts and taxes, and finally distributing property to beneficiaries and closing the estate.

Reporting from Canada's BNN Bloomberg lists similar core tasks: arranging funeral services, obtaining death certificates, finding the original will, securing the deceased's property, contacting beneficiaries, notifying banks and service providers, filing final tax returns, and going through probate.

In Australia, Jeff Garrett, Legal Practice Director at Attwood Marshall Lawyers, told The Senior that executors must secure probate (which he said typically takes two to eight weeks for straightforward estates), close bank, phone and internet accounts, file tax returns, settle debts with the Australian Taxation Office, and distribute remaining assets. Estates often include property, vehicles, superannuation and investment holdings, he said.

How long it takes

Executor.org states that settling an estate usually takes around one year, though simple estates can close within months while those involving real estate or business interests can take two years or longer. BNN Bloomberg similarly reports that the process typically takes at least a year, often considerably longer.

The financial and legal challenges

BNN Bloomberg's reporting notes that executors sometimes must front costs — for the funeral, lawyers or accountants — before estate funds become accessible, and that they are entitled to compensation subject to limits set by provincial legislation. Insolvent estates add a further burden, as executors can end up responsible for handling unpaid creditor claims.

The same report cites a poll by estate-administration company ClearEstate in which 90% of respondents said executorship is complicated and time-consuming, 75% said they would accept the role if asked, and nearly two-thirds agreed it is not fair to expect a family member to handle it alone. Sources quoted in the piece include Julia Chung, CEO of Spring Planning; Erin Bury, co-founder of Willful; Mark Biderman, senior vice-president of trust and legal at Cidel Private Bank; and Davide Pisanu, CEO of ClearEstate.

Garrett, speaking to The Senior, said executors face personal legal liability for mistakes and can be exposed to tax-authority penalties if obligations are mishandled. He described the role as "onerous" and said many people underestimate it when they agree to take it on.

Family executors and emotional strain

Garrett told The Senior that relatives are often named executor without knowing it until after the death, which can leave the role feeling "thrust upon them" and generate stress or resentment. He said blended families face particular complications, since a surviving spouse acting as executor can end up redirecting inheritances away from a deceased partner's children. His recommendation, as reported by The Senior, is to consider appointing a professional co-executor with estate experience rather than relying solely on a family member.

BNN Bloomberg's report makes a similar point: executors must juggle hundreds of hours of administrative work, often only possible during limited business hours, while also managing grief and a fiduciary duty to protect beneficiaries' interests and prevent waste of estate assets. Complications increase when the executor and the deceased lived in different jurisdictions, or when investment portfolios must be managed responsibly during the administration period, the report states.

Core duties at a glance

Practical steps for someone taking on the role

1. Confirm the role: locate the original will and read it fully before accepting the task, as recommended by executor.org.
2. Get professional support early, such as an estate lawyer or accountant, which executor.org and the Canadian sources both describe as a common step.
3. Order several certified copies of the death certificate, as executor.org advises, since many institutions require them before releasing information.
4. File the will with the probate court for the jurisdiction where the deceased lived, and apply for probate.
5. Notify banks, utility providers, government agencies and named beneficiaries of the death.
6. Locate, value and secure all estate assets, including property, vehicles and accounts.
7. Pay outstanding debts and file required tax returns before distributing anything to beneficiaries.
8. Keep detailed records of every transaction, as executor.org advises, to protect against later disputes.
9. Distribute remaining assets according to the will and formally close the estate.

Compensation and liability

BNN Bloomberg's report notes that executors in Canada are entitled to compensation, capped by provincial legislation, but may need to pay some costs out of pocket before being reimbursed from the estate. In Australia, Garrett told The Senior that executors can face personal legal liability for errors and penalties from the tax office for mishandled obligations, underscoring why both sources suggest involving professional help, particularly for larger or more complex estates.