Choosing Executors for Your Will: Who, How Many, and What They Do

Of all the decisions involved in writing a will, choosing your executor is one that people often rush through without fully understanding what the role involves. Yet your executor carries real responsibility — legally and practically — for making sure your final wishes are properly carried out.

What Does an Executor Actually Do?

An executor's job begins after you die and continues until your estate has been fully wound up. In broad terms, they are responsible for:

• Registering the death and locating your will
• Valuing your estate — property, savings, investments, and possessions
• Applying for the Grant of Probate, the legal authority to administer your estate
• Paying any inheritance tax due, along with outstanding debts and funeral costs
• Collecting in assets — closing accounts, selling or transferring property
• Distributing what remains to your beneficiaries according to your will
• Keeping clear estate accounts throughout the process

For a full explanation of how this process works, see our guide to what probate is and how it works.

The role can take anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on the complexity of the estate, and carries real legal responsibility — an executor can be personally liable if the estate is administered incorrectly, for example by paying out to beneficiaries before settling debts or tax that was due.

Who Can Be an Executor?

Almost anyone over 18 can act as an executor. Most people choose from among the following:

• A spouse or partner — often the natural choice, especially for straightforward estates
• Adult children — commonly appointed, particularly alongside or instead of a spouse for older testators
• Other family members or close friends — chosen for their reliability and good judgement rather than their relationship to you
• A professional executor — a solicitor or will writing firm, appointed for complex estates or where you would rather your family were not burdened with the administrative work

The best executor is someone organised, trustworthy, and capable of handling paperwork and financial matters under pressure — not necessarily your eldest child or closest relative by default.

How Many Executors Should You Appoint?

You can appoint up to four executors to act at any one time, though most wills name between one and four. There are good reasons to appoint more than one:

• Shared workload — administering an estate can be time-consuming, and sharing the responsibility can help
• A backup — if your first executor is unable or unwilling to act when the time comes, a second can step in
• Balance — appointing more than one child, for example, can avoid any sense that one sibling has been given more trust or authority than another

That said, appointing too many executors — particularly if they do not get on well — can create its own difficulties, since all named executors generally need to agree and act together. For most families, two executors strikes a sensible balance.

Should You Use a Professional Executor?

A professional executor can be a sensible choice where your estate is complex — for example, if it includes a business, property abroad, or is likely to involve disputes between beneficiaries. Professional executors bring expertise and impartiality, though they do charge fees for their time, usually based on the size and complexity of the estate.

Many people choose a middle ground: appointing a family member alongside a professional, so the family retains oversight and involvement while benefiting from professional support when it is needed.

Can an Executor Also Be a Beneficiary?

Yes — in fact, it is extremely common, and often sensible. A spouse who inherits the bulk of an estate is frequently also appointed as executor, as are adult children who both inherit and administer the estate. The only restriction to be aware of concerns witnessing: a beneficiary (or their spouse) cannot act as a witness to the will, or their gift will be void — but this rule does not affect their ability to act as an executor.

What If Your Executor Dies Before You?

This is exactly why appointing more than one executor, and naming substitutes, matters. If your only executor dies before you and no substitute is named, the court will need to appoint someone to administer your estate — which may not be who you would have chosen, and can add delay at an already difficult time. A well-drafted will typically names at least one substitute executor for precisely this reason, and your will should be reviewed periodically to make sure your chosen executors are still willing and able to act — a topic covered further in our guide on how to write a will in the UK.

Practical Things to Discuss with Your Chosen Executor

• Let them know you are appointing them, and check they are willing to take on the role
• Tell them where your will and important documents are kept
• Give them a general sense of what your estate includes
• Consider whether they may need professional support, and make that available in your will if so

How Abrahams Wills Can Help

As a member of The Society of Will Writers, I help clients across Sunbury, Kingston, and Twickenham think through exactly who should act as their executor, how many to appoint, and whether professional support makes sense for their circumstances. I offer home visits 7 days a week, so we can talk it through properly, at your own pace.