A Legal Personal Representative (LPR) is the name given to the representative of an estate at law. If there is a will this personal is the executor. Where there is no will, the LPR is the Administrator of the estate appointed by the Supreme Court.
Legal Personal Representative’s Duties
The personal representative/executor of a deceased estate has numerous duties including to:-
- collect and get in the real and personal estate of the deceased and administer it according to law; and
- when required to do so by the court (or often at the request of a beneficiary), exhibit on oath in the court a full inventory of the estate and when so required render an account of the administration of the estate to the court; and
- when required to do so by the court, deliver up the grant of probate or letters of administration to the court; and
- to distribute the estate of the deceased, subject to the administration thereof, as soon as may be; and pay interest upon any general legacy.
Legal Personal Representative vs Executor
The Legal Personal Representative and Executor are different names for the same role. An LPR also encompasses an Administrator.
If someone dies single and without a will (known as intestate) then one of the next of kin is usually appointed administrator.
Is a Personal Legal Representative paid?
If you are the LPR / executor / administrator of an estate you may claim commission for your ‘pains and troubles’ of administering the estate.
Remember, you are the trustee of any estate money and you owe a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries of the estate. If there is any dispute about executor’s commission you should seek legal advice to ensure you don’t breach your duties.
