Do executors have to pay outstanding fees and debts to settle an estate?

Executors are not personally liable for unpaid debts or lender losses. Costs are paid from the estate or prioritized by law.

Probate: What It Is and How It Works, With and Without a Will

Learn how probate validates a will, pays debts, and distributes assets to heirs. State intestacy laws apply when there is no ...
Florida Today

Estate planning: Choose an executor who'll ensure your wishes are honored when you're gone

Selecting an executor for your estate is one of the most crucial decisions in the estate planning process. The executor will be responsible for managing your assets, ensuring that your wishes are ...
Black Enterprise

Here’s What You Need To Know As Executor Of An Estate

Following the death of a loved one, there may be fear and uncertainty about what to expect. However, needs must be attended to on behalf of the deceased. Specifically, an estate executor must be ...
NerdWallet

What Is an Executor Not Allowed to Do?

Executors have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the estate and its beneficiaries. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us ...

Executors left out in the cold by banks

Whether it’s totting up tax bills or dealing with disputes over a will, being the executor of someone’s estate can be a ...
JD Supra

Texas Supreme Court Holds That Executor Who Is Also The Sole Beneficiary Of The Estate Can Represent The Estate Pro Se

In Suday v. Suday, the executor was also the sole beneficiary of her mother’s estate. No. 24-1009, __ Tex. LEXIS __ (Tex. June 27, 2025) (per curiam). She engaged in substantial litigation seeking to ...
Wealth Management

Executor Liable for Taxes and Penalties for Botched Late-Filed Return

The facts of Estate Spenlinhauer v Commissioner (U.S. Tax Court, Dec. 30, 2025) read like an instruction manual on how to improperly file an estate tax return. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. Tax Court held ...