Definition
Personal Representative
Also called: executor, administrator, letters testamentary
The personal representative — called the executor when named in a will — is the person a probate court appoints to act for an estate: paying its debts, managing its property, and signing sale documents. Court-issued 'letters' are the document proving that authority.
Until the appointment happens, nobody can sign for the estate — a point families routinely miss while debating a sale price no one yet has authority to accept. The representative owes fiduciary duties to all beneficiaries, and depending on the state and the will, may sell estate property independently or need court approval.
Title companies ask for the letters (letters testamentary or letters of administration) before insuring an estate sale, which is why getting the appointment done early unblocks everything else.
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