Which role is appointed by the will to manage the estate after death?

• A. Guardian
• B. Beneficiary
• C. Heir
• D. Executor or personal representative

Answer: (D)

The role being tested is the one who oversees the settlement of the estate after death—the executor, also called the personal representative in many jurisdictions. This person is named in the will and enters the probate process to gather assets, notice and pay debts and taxes, inventory what’s owned, and then distribute the remaining assets to the beneficiaries named in the will. The executor has fiduciary duties to the estate and typically operates under court supervision to ensure everything is handled properly.

A guardian is appointed to care for a person, such as a minor or someone who is incapacitated, and isn’t the person who administers the estate after death. A beneficiary is someone who receives assets from the will, not the administrator. An heir is a person who would inherit under intestacy (no will) or by law, not someone appointed by the will to manage the estate.