THE DUTIES OF AN EXECUTOR
The administration of an estate requires a number of activities which is different in each case. The
Order in which the various steps are adhered to will not be the same for each estate. The following
Administration process has been summarised for the normal type of estate.
The executor has the option of conferring with an Attorney/Trustee companies to finalise the
estate.
- An initial meeting or interview with the family to obtain important, necessary information
and to have the documents signed
- Reporting the estate by lodging the death certificate notice, inventory, original will and the
acceptance of the trust as executor with the master of the court
- The opening of a file for correspondence, documents, assets, liabilities, cheque account and
the liquidation and distribution account.
- Letters to creditors and debtor sin order to determine claims for and against the estate
- Obtaining valuations of movable and immovable estate assets
- The completion and submission of an income tax return
- Receipt f the letter of executorship
- Placement of the notice to creditors in the governments gazette and in a newspaper
- Opening an estate cheque account
- Determining whether the estate is solvent and determining a suitable method of
administration in consultation with the beneficiaries
- The collection of sufficient cash; payment of debts
- The preparation and submission of the liquidation and distribution account, not later than
six months from the date on which letter of executorship has been issued(sometimes) also
referred as the “executors account” or the state account”) and the preparation of the estate
duty return
- The placement of a notice in the government gazette an in a newspaper to the effect that
the liquidation and distribution account is lying for inspection
- The payment of outstanding debt. The payment and /or transfer of the legacies and
inheritances to beneficiaries
- The payment of master’s fees
- The payment of estate duty, if the estate is dutiable
- Fulfilment of the master’s final requirements
- Receipt of filing notice from the master
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