What is the difference between an administrator and executor?
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What is the difference between an administrator and executor?
Asked on August 6, 2011 Missouri
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Basically they are the same thing. An executor and an administrator both have the same job; they act as the personal representative of an estate. The executor gets the job by being named in a Will; an administrator gets the job by applying for it as one of the deceased's next of kin or close friends, etc. The personal representative (executor or administrator) pays creditors and in handles any other claims on the etate, manages general business and related estate matters, and then distributes the net estate. An executor makes the distribution according to the Will; an administrator make this distribution according to applicable state intestacy law (i.e. the laws that control the administration of the estate of a person who dies without a Will). In all other respects, the powers and duties are identical.
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