Administering an estate

When someone dies, it can be a very emotional and difficult time as you grieve their loss.

If you’ve been appointed as the executor of a deceased estate you may also feel unsure about what is required of you and what steps to take next.

All estates are different and some can be quite complex, with various assets, numerous beneficiaries, and/or conflicting family members. If you don’t have experience, are time poor, or are concerned about the responsibility (and potential liability) of being an executor, the Public Trustee can assist with expert advice and support.

As the executor, you can choose to retain the role and administer the estate, or authorise a trustee (such as the Public Trustee of Queensland) to perform the duties of executor for you. In many cases, expert help can make a real difference.

The Public Trustee can:

• Manage the estate on your behalf and provide Full Estate Administration Services;
• Support you with Assisted Executor Services for specific administration tasks; or
• Assist when there is no will.

If you are interested in an indication of costs for Full Estate Administration Services i.e. taking on all responsibilities from start to finalisation, please use our online estate administration fee estimator.