An executor is the person in charge of your estate when you pass away. If you don’t designate an executor in your estate plan, the court will have to designate one for your estate when you pass away. One of the main responsibilities of an executor is to find all the relevant estate planning documents, identify the beneficiaries, and inventory the decedent’s estate. The executor should also obtain the death certificate, and file it with the accompanying estate planning documents in the court. The executor will then pay any debts, sell any property as necessary, and distribute the estate to the intended beneficiaries.