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The Daily Insight

Who is the personal representative of a deceased person?

Author

Andrew Mclaughlin

Published Mar 04, 2026

The personal representative of a deceased person’s estate is a fiduciary, meaning they owe a legal duty to the estate and its beneficiaries. The personal representative must carry out those duties in a responsible manner, making decisions that are in the best interest of the estate as a whole rather than in their own best interest.

Who is the personal representative of an intestate estate?

Check with a local attorney if you’re planning your will and you’re unsure about the person you want to name as personal representative. An intestate estate is one for which the decedent didn’t leave a last will and testament.

Can a person serve as a personal representative in probate?

A “testate” estate is one that has a valid last will and testament. A will should — and usually does — name the individual the decedent would like to serve as his personal representative or executor. Courts almost invariably honor the decedent’s wishes if the person he named is still alive and is otherwise able to serve.

Can a personal representative be removed from a will?

Courts almost invariably honor the decedent’s wishes if the person named in the will is still alive and is otherwise able and willing to serve, provided they’re legally allowed to do so. Some state courts require that a personal representative who’s been named in a will must petition the court for removal so someone else can take over.

A personal representative is defined (in descending order of priority) as: If the person who has died left a valid will: The person named on the grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration with will annexed) or If Probate was not granted to the will, the executor named in the will, or

Can a living relative make a claim to a deceased person’s estate?

If an entitled relative survived the deceased but has since died, that relative’s personal representative (the person legally entitled to deal with their estate) must make a claim to the deceased person’s estate.

Who is entitled to deal with the estate of a deceased person?

If that person’s personal representative subsequently dies then it will be their personal representative who is entitled to deal with both estates.

Can a personal representative make a claim on an estate?

Where you make a claim as a personal representative, or it is traced through a personal representative or representatives, BVD require a Court sealed copy of all Grants of Probate or Letters of Administration to the relevant estates.

If the decedent dies intestate – i.e., without a Will – an Administrator is appointed as the personal representative.

How to file to be Administrator of estate after death?

Call the court clerk’s office and ask about the requirements for filing a petition to administer an estate. You want to know: You may also need to file a bond with the court. Ask whether this is necessary and what the procedure is. 3. Collect the necessary information. Before you file your petition, you must collect a good deal of information.

Who is responsible for dealing with the estate of a deceased person?

The person dealing with the estate of the person who has died is called an executor or an administrator. An executor is someone who is named in the will as responsible for dealing with the estate. An executor may have to apply for a special legal authority before they can deal with the estate.

What happens to my mother’s trust when she dies?

Assuming that your mother had a trust into which she had put the family home fourteen years ago. She died recently, therefore there is step-up in the value of the home and therefore there may be no capital gains to contend with. The distribution to the inheritors is tax free for federal purposes.