Tax Issues

The executor of an estate is responsible for making sure taxes, whether they're imposed on the deceased person, the estate, or the inheritors, get paid. That means you may be filing income tax returns, estate tax returns, and inheritance tax returns. The good news is that you probably won't have to deal with all of these. Very few estates, for example, owe federal estate tax, and only a few states have an inheritance tax.

Still, you can't distribute assets or close a probate court proceeding until all the taxes are paid. More good news: you don't have to use your own assets to pay the taxes; instead, you use funds in the estate. And you can get help (also paid for with estate funds) with tax preparation. This section explains your responsibilities.