7 Little Known Interesting Differences Between Executor vs Administrator

Trying to figure out the difference between executor vs administrator?

One has more authority over the estate compared to the other.

One has limitations that the other does not.

And one is court-appointed, meaning it could be anyone.

In this article, you will learn everything about executor vs administrator, including:

What Is An Executor?
What Is An Administrator?
Differences Between Executor vs Administrator
The Administrator of Estate Duties
How To Become The Administrator Of Estate
Can An Executor Decide Who Gets What
Does An Executor Have To Show Accounting To Beneficiaries
Executor Responsibilities To Beneficiaries
Can You Get Paid Executor Fees
Can An Executor Sell Property Of The Estate

When the courts appoint an administrator to an estate, they can choose anyone. This includes creditors or third-party companies. Meaning you and your family lose all control over the estate.

If you want to create a will for your estate or file a petition to become the administrator of an estate, fill out the form below for a free consultation. Free consultations are first come first serve. We always run out of slots. Make sure you get yours locked in now.

What Is An Executor?

An executor is a person who gets appointed to distribute the estate of a deceased person.

The executor’s main duty is carrying out the instructions of the will and testament.

The executor gets appointed by the person creating the will.

If there is no will, the executor is court-appointed.

What Is An Administrator?

An administrator is a court-appointed person who handles the financials of a deceased person.

The administrator will organize the estate and settle debts, expenses, and other obligations.

The administrator will also distribute the remaining assets per the will.

If there was no will, they will distribute assets per intestacy laws.

Executor vs Administrator

There are not a lot of differences between an executor vs administrator.

Let’s talk about the similarities between an executor vs administrator.

Similarities Between Executor vs Administrator

Both the executor and administrator:

are subject to the jurisdiction of the probate court
sell properties and pay taxes
collect and close banking and investment accounts
open estate bank accounts
gather and distribute assets
pay off the necessary debts from the estate
are fiduciaries and have to act in the best interest of the estate
can be restricted by the courts

Related: Estate Planning Checklist

Differences Between Executor vs Administrator

The main differences between administrator vs executor are:

An executor is appointed by the will. An administrator is appointed by the courts.
An administrator’s authority is limited to the intestacy law’s statutes. The executor has the same authority plus any other authority outlined in the will.
The will gives the executor the authority to sell real estate without having to go through probate court.
Executors distribute the estate per the will. An administrator distributes the estate per the intestacy laws.
The courts may require an administrator to post a surety bond to secure the safety of the estate’s assets.
If the courts appoint an administrator, the family members may be required to provide proof of kinship in a Kinship Hearing.
An executor can take action on the will’s contents immediately after death. An administrator has to wait until the courts issue a grant of administration.

The Administrator of Estate Duties

What are the executor or the administrator of estate duties?

The administrator of estate duties include:

notifying creditors, banks, and government agencies (such as Social Security) of the death
appear in court on behalf of the estate
open an estate bank account to pay outstanding bills and manage any incoming funds
file an inventory of assets with the court
pay the estate’s taxes and debts
distribute any assets to beneficiaries and dispose of any leftover property
maintain the estate, including homes and property, until it can be distributed or sold

How To Become The Administrator Of Estate

An administrator of an estate gets appointed by the courts when:

there is no will
the will names an executor who won’t or can’t take on the executor responsibilities

When there is no will, the estate gets handled by intestacy laws.

The intestacy laws are different in every state.

But, in general, the courts will choose an administrator based on the size of the person’s interest in the inheritance.

It is not based on the “closeness” of that person’s relationship with the decedent.

The courts’ order of preference for the administrator of estate are:

the surviving spouse
children
parents of the decedent
principal creditors
a third party

You can apply to be an administrator of an estate.

To apply for the appointment of an administrator of an estate, you’ll need to file a:

petition for administration of the estate
death certificate

The petition for administration of the estate will include information like:

date of death
names of surviving family members
names of beneficiaries named in the will
name of your probate attorney
the person named as executor in the will

Every probate court has different petitions for the administration of the estate.

If you need help, consult your probate attorney.

Let’s talk about can an executor decide who gets what.

Can An Executor Decide Who Gets What

Can an executor decide who gets what depends on the power of appointment in the will.

If the will lists people and directions on how to distribute assets, the executor has limited power of appointment.

But a general power of appointment allows the executor to decide who gets what.

If the will does not explain what to do with the estate, the executor can even keep the estate for themselves.

Does An Executor Have To Show Accounting To Beneficiaries

Between the death and until the estate has been distributed, the executor has to show accounting to beneficiaries.

They have to maintain receipts and related documents.

The executor has to show accounting to beneficiaries.

Most states require that they also file the receipts to the courts to finalize probate.

Executor Responsibilities To Beneficiaries

The executor’s responsibilities to beneficiaries are:

notifying them that they are beneficiaries
timely distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries
provide information on the assets and debts of the estate
provide information on how the executor plans to repay debts from the estate

We know what the executor’s responsibilities to beneficiaries are.

But what about things an executor does not have to do?

An executor does not have a responsibility to beneficiaries for:

distributing the estate at the time of notifying the beneficiaries
including the beneficiaries in the decision-making processes

Can You Get Paid Executor Fees?

Executor fees average 1.5%-2% of the estate.

Some states have specific executor fees guidelines to follow.

Most states allow executors to charge “reasonable” executor fees to the beneficiaries.

To charge executor fees, you would bill the estate.

Can An Executor Sell Property Of The Estate

An executor can sell property of the estate without approval from the beneficiaries.

The executor only has to notify the beneficiaries they are going to sell property of the estate.

Protect Your Family

We see people pass away without wills all the time.

Their inheritance gets split up by the government.

Their spouses don’t get what they deserve.

Their kids don’t get fair splits of the inheritance.

It’s usually a mess and never turns out how the family wants it to.

Fill out the form below if you don’t want the government to be in control of your inheritance.