Probate guide
Personal Representative Duties Checklist
If you've been appointed as a personal representative (PR), your job is to protect the estate, follow required notice rules, keep clean records, and move the estate to a proper distribution and close. This guide breaks the work into clear phases and practical checklists.
Quick definitions
Personal Representative
The court-appointed fiduciary responsible for administering the estate.
Executor vs. Administrator
Some states say “executor” when named in a will, and “administrator” when there is no will. Many modern courts use “personal representative” for both.
Phase 1: Stabilize the estate (first 7–14 days)
Your immediate goal is to reduce risk: secure assets, prevent missed bills, and get the estate’s "paper trail" under control.
- Secure real property and personal property (keys, access codes, alarms, valuables, vehicles).
- Order multiple certified copies of the death certificate (financial institutions often require originals).
- Forward mail and create an estate email folder system (court, banks, insurance, utilities).
- Identify urgent bills (mortgage, utilities, insurance) and confirm coverage is active.
- Avoid commingling: do not pay estate bills from personal accounts long-term.
Pro tip
Create a dedicated estate operating account as soon as you’re authorized. Keep every receipt and log every transaction—this becomes your accounting.
Phase 2: Collect (assets, debts, and documents)
Build a complete inventory. If it isn't documented, it effectively doesn't exist.
Assets to identify
- Bank accounts, brokerage, retirement accounts
- Real estate, mortgages, property taxes
- Vehicles, valuable personal property
- Business interests, contracts, royalties
- Insurance policies and potential claims
Debts & obligations
- Credit cards, personal loans, medical bills
- Utilities, maintenance, HOA dues
- Final expenses (funeral, burial/cremation)
- Taxes (income, property, potential estate tax)
- Open invoices and reimbursements
To understand creditor timing and notices, see Notice to Creditors.
Phase 3: Clean (accounting, claims, and compliance)
This phase is about fiduciary hygiene: correct payments, proper records, and no surprises.
- Track all income (rent, refunds, dividends) and all expenses (bills, repairs, legal fees) with receipts.
- Evaluate creditor claims and pay valid claims in the correct order/priority per your jurisdiction.
- Keep beneficiaries informed with periodic status updates.
- Maintain a running estate ledger (beginning balance → transactions → ending balance).
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Distributing assets before claim windows/taxes are resolved
- Paying from personal accounts (commingling risk)
- Missing deadlines for inventories, reports, or notices
- Not documenting why a claim was paid or rejected
Phase 4: Wind down (distribution + closing)
The endgame: finalize accounting, distribute correctly, and close the estate.
- Prepare a final accounting (transactions, receipts, supporting documents).
- Confirm taxes are complete and any required clearances are handled.
- Make distributions to beneficiaries and collect receipts/releases where appropriate.
- File required closing documents and obtain discharge/closure from the court.
For a step-by-step closing sequence, see How to close a probate estate.
Use LegatePro as your PR command center
LegatePro is built for real administration work: tasks, documents, invoices/expenses, rent, and activity—so you can stay organized and audit-ready.
Related guides
Probate timeline
A realistic timeline from petition → closing.
Read the guideNotice to creditors
How creditor notices and claim windows usually work.
Read the guide