What Does an Executor of a Will Actually Do?
19 July 2026 · 4 min read
An executor is the person named in a will to carry out its instructions. It sounds like an honour, and it is — but it is also a genuine legal responsibility with real work attached, usually at a time when you are grieving. If you have just been named as one, or are deciding who to name in your own will, here is what the job actually involves.
The job, in the order it happens
- Register the death and arrange the funeral. The funeral usually comes first and can be paid for directly from the deceased's bank account, even before probate — banks will normally release funds for this against an invoice.
- Find the will and secure the estate. Locate the original will, secure any property (insurance, locks, redirecting post), and start listing everything the person owned and owed.
- Value the estate. Get date-of-death valuations for property, savings, investments, pensions and possessions. This valuation determines whether inheritance tax is due — our plain guide to inheritance tax covers the thresholds.
- Report to HMRC and pay any inheritance tax. Some or all of the tax generally has to be paid before probate is granted, which surprises many executors — there are mechanisms to pay from the estate's own bank accounts.
- Apply for probate. The grant of probate is the legal document proving your authority to deal with the estate. See what probate is and how long it takes.
- Collect assets and pay debts. Close accounts, sell or transfer property and investments, and settle debts — debts are paid before anyone inherits.
- Distribute the estate and keep accounts. Pay out what the will says, in the right order, and keep clear estate accounts that beneficiaries are entitled to see.
The parts people underestimate
Executors are personally liable for mistakes: distributing the estate before an unknown debt surfaces, paying the wrong amount of tax, or paying beneficiaries in the wrong order can leave the executor covering the shortfall themselves. Placing statutory notices for creditors and waiting the recommended periods before distributing exists precisely to protect you from this.
The time commitment is also real — a straightforward estate typically takes months of admin, and a complex one can take well over a year.
Do you have to accept the role?
No. You can renounce (formally step down) provided you have not started dealing with the estate, or have power "reserved" so another executor acts while you stay in the background. Up to four executors can act at once, and they must act jointly on major steps.
Can an executor also inherit?
Yes — naming a main beneficiary (such as a spouse or adult child) as executor is completely normal and very common. The rule that catches people out is different: a beneficiary should not witness the will, or they usually lose their inheritance. Our guide to writing a will covers the witnessing rules.
When to get professional help
Executors can instruct a solicitor or probate specialist and pay for it from the estate — sensible where there is inheritance tax to calculate, a property to sell, a business, foreign assets, or any hint of a family dispute. For simple estates, many executors handle probate themselves using the GOV.UK online service.
This is general information about the law in England and Wales, not personalised legal advice. Rules, thresholds and processes change, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules in places — for anything that depends on your own circumstances, it is worth speaking to a solicitor (ideally one accredited by STEP or Solicitors for the Elderly) or checking GOV.UK and Citizens Advice for current detail.
Common questions
Does an executor get paid?+
Lay executors (family and friends) are entitled to reclaim reasonable expenses from the estate — travel, postage, probate fees — but not to charge for their time unless the will specifically says so. Professional executors such as solicitors charge fees, which is why naming a professional as executor is worth thinking through in advance.
What if executors disagree?+
Executors must act jointly on key decisions, so deadlock genuinely stalls the estate. Options include mediation, one executor stepping back with power reserved, or ultimately asking the court to remove an executor — expensive and slow, which is why choosing people who can work together matters more than choosing the two most senior relatives.
How long does an executor have to settle an estate?+
There is no fixed legal deadline, but there is a convention called the executor’s year — beneficiaries generally cannot demand distribution within twelve months of the death. Interest can start to accrue on unpaid legacies after that point, and beneficiaries can apply to court if delays become unreasonable.
Related guides
How to Write a Will in the UK
Writing a will does not have to be complicated. Here is what it actually needs to include, and the main routes for making it legally valid.
What Happens If You Die Without a Will in the UK?
Without a will, your estate is shared out according to fixed intestacy rules — not your own wishes. Here is how those rules actually work.
How Much Does a Will Cost in the UK?
Will costs vary a lot depending on the route you take. Here is what actually drives the price difference, not just the headline numbers.