What are an executor's main duties after someone dies?

An executor (sometimes called a personal representative) is the person who carries out your will. Their job: locate the will, file it with the probate court, obtain a death certificate, and get appointed officially. They then inventory and safeguard assets, notify banks, the Social Security Administration, and creditors, pay valid debts and final taxes, and ultimately distribute what remains to beneficiaries. It's a real time commitment — often many months of paperwork, communication, and record-keeping — and the executor has a fiduciary duty to act honestly and in the estate's best interest. Choose someone organized, trustworthy, and willing; ask them first, and name a backup in case they can't serve. They can hire an attorney or accountant, paid from the estate, for the technical parts. Leaving an organized records file makes their job far easier and faster.