In an Oklahoma Probate case, what is the Personal Representative required to do?

On this blog, I discuss many ways to avoid having to do an Oklahoma probate after someone dies. However, what happens if you can’t avoid it?

One thing that happens is a person is appointed to administer the estate. Different terms are used for this person including the executor, executrix, administrator, special administrator and personal representative. Regardless of what term is used, the person who is appointed to handle the estate has certain duties under Oklahoma law.

Some of these duties are:

1.Taking charge of all property of the estate;
2.Being subject to the orders of the probate court in the control and disbursement of the property of the estate;
3. Determine whether the decedent had any debts and if so compile a list of the debts;
4. Take control of, continue, or terminate any of the decedent’s social networking networking account or short message service website or any e-mail service websites.
5. Be prepared to provide a report to the court of the condition of the affairs of the estate;
6. Maintain financial records for the estate including being able to show all receipts and disbursements and a list of present assets.
7. Provide an accounting to the court of all estate business including:

a. All income has been properly received and expenses lawfully made;
b. All allowed and approved claims have been paid;
c. All funeral expenses, taxes and costs of the administrator have been paid; and
d. The estate is ready for closing.

Posted by Shawn Roberts

On this blog, I write about and try to answer practical Oklahoma legal questions. My focus and most experience is in estate planning and business issues including Oklahoma non-compete law. I make a living as an attorney in the law firm I founded, Shawn J. Roberts, P.C. in Oklahoma City. I live in Edmond with my wife Amy and my two children, Sam (19) and David (11). We live precisely in the path of where the "wind comes sweeping down the plains."