A personal representative, also known as an executor or administrator, is a person or entity appointed by a court or named in a will to manage the estate of a deceased person.

The personal representative is responsible for overseeing the distribution of the deceased person’s assets and paying off any debts or taxes owed by the estate.

The duties of a personal representative can include gathering and valuing assets, paying funeral expenses, notifying creditors and beneficiaries, filing tax returns, and distributing the estate’s assets to the beneficiaries named in the will or determined by state law.

The personal representative is held to a high standard of fiduciary duty and is obligated to act in the best interests of the estate and its beneficiaries. The personal representative is often a family member or close friend of the deceased, but can also be a professional executor or administrator hired to manage the estate.