04 | Asked to be an executor? What you’re really signing up for

If a relative asks you to be the executor of their will, should you accept? What can go wrong and what do you need to know before you agree to take on the role? When disputes arise, executors are the ones left to clean up the mess, often navigating difficult family dynamics. And saying yes to being an executor can make you personally liable for someone else's debts. Sydney lawyer Donal Griffin explains what the job involves, from settling the deceased's tax and debts to the risk of being held personally liable if you distribute too soon and a claim lands months later. He also covers the conflicts that arise when the executor is also a beneficiary, and the odd habit of people naming politicians and public figures they've never met to run their affairs. The Law Report's special series Over My Dead Body explores the challenges faced by executors when finalising and distributing an estate. This conversation does not represent or replace legal advice.