Executor duties & checklist

Updated 20 August 2026 · 9 minute read

Being named executor is a job, not an honour — and legally it's a serious one. You're personally responsible for gathering the estate, protecting it, paying its debts and distributing it correctly. Done in order, it's manageable. Here's the whole job.

The duties, in order

1. Arrange the funeral and secure the estate

   The executor has the legal say on funeral arrangements (usually alongside family wishes). Then: secure the house, cars and valuables, redirect mail, keep insurance current — an unoccupied-house insurance lapse is a classic executor mistake.

2. Get the death certificate and find the will

   Order several certified copies. Locate the original will — solicitor's safe custody, bank, or the Supreme Court's will registry.

3. Notify institutions and build the asset inventory

   Banks, super funds, share registries, Centrelink, the ATO, insurers, utilities. Ask each for date-of-death balances in writing — this becomes the court inventory.

4. Apply for probate if it's needed

   Check first — then apply. The estate reimburses the costs.

5. Collect assets and pay debts

   Open an estate bank account. Collect funds, sell what must be sold, pay funeral costs, debts and the estate's tax. Debts are paid in a legal order — insolvent-looking estates need advice before anything is paid.

6. Distribute — at the right time

   Pay legacies, transfer property, distribute the residue, and keep full accounts. Distributing too early is the riskiest move an executor can make (see below).

The printable checklist

• Certified death certificate copies ordered (get 5+)
• Original will located and secured
• House, contents and vehicles secured and insured
• All institutions notified; date-of-death balances in writing
• Probate need checked — grant applied for if required
• Estate bank account opened
• Debts identified and paid in proper order
• Estate tax return lodged (and clearance before distribution)
• Family-provision window checked before distribution
• Full accounts kept and shared with beneficiaries

Can you say no — or get help?

Yes. You can renounce before applying (the next executor or beneficiary takes over), or appoint a firm to do the legwork while you remain the decision-maker. Executors can also claim commission for the work — with beneficiaries' consent or the court's approval.