Executor Basics
This section brings together the core information about what an executor actually does and how the legal and practical side of a death fits together.
It is written for ordinary adults in England and Wales who either want to understand the role in advance, or are already acting as an executor or main organiser.
- Plain English explainers on the executor role and the wider estate administration process.
- Checklists and timelines to help you see the main steps.
- Tools that help you pull key information into one place.
Planning Ahead
If you want to get your affairs in better order while you are alive, so your future executor is not left guessing.
Manual links (to posts that mostly exist or are planned):
- You and the key people: the basic information your executor will need
- Creating your “who’s who” note for your executor (UK)
- Digital life after death: what your executor will need access to
Dealing with a Death
If you have just lost someone and are trying to work out who is “in charge”, what your responsibilities are and what to do first.
Manual links, for example:
- Who is actually in charge after someone dies? Executor, next of kin and other key roles
- People to tell when someone dies – a practical list for UK families
- Household bills timeline for executors: what to handle in week 1 and beyond
Core Guides
Main guides that explain the executor role and estate administration in more depth. They are a good next step once you have read one or two of the starting pieces above.
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What happens to your social media when you die? Memorialise, delete or leave it alone (UK)
Most of us now leave a long trail of photos, posts and messages behind us, but very few people have stopped to ask what actually happens to all of that when we die. Thinking about your Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn…
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Social media scams and fake profiles after a death (UK)
When someone dies, the last thing you want to think about is scams. You’re dealing with calls, paperwork and emotions, and then social media throws up something odd: a strange friend request, a message asking for donations or a new…
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Social media and messaging after someone dies – FAQ
Most people feel unsure what to do with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and WhatsApp when someone dies. These quick FAQs are for UK adults doing pre-death life admin, and for executors or close family who are suddenly in charge of…
Checklists & Tools
Turn the big ideas into concrete steps and records you can work through in your own time.
- Executor overview checklist
- Executor Clarity spreadsheet overview (when it exists)
FAQs
These FAQs answer small, specific questions that often crop up when you are trying to understand the executor role and the estate administration process.
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What happens to your social media when you die? Memorialise, delete or leave it alone (UK)
Most of us now leave a long trail of photos, posts and messages behind us, but very few people have stopped to ask what actually happens to all of that when we die. Thinking about your Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn after death can feel oddly distant or a bit morbid, so it’s easy to avoid….
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Social media scams and fake profiles after a death (UK)
When someone dies, the last thing you want to think about is scams. You’re dealing with calls, paperwork and emotions, and then social media throws up something odd: a strange friend request, a message asking for donations or a new profile that looks just like your relative. Unfortunately deaths can attract opportunists. Obituaries, Facebook posts…
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Social media and messaging after someone dies – FAQ
Most people feel unsure what to do with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and WhatsApp when someone dies. These quick FAQs are for UK adults doing pre-death life admin, and for executors or close family who are suddenly in charge of someone’s online presence.
Related Areas
Once you have a basic feel for the executor role, it usually helps to look at the main areas you will be dealing with:
Manual links to other hubs:
- People & contacts – for understanding roles, who to tell and key contact information.
- Property & bills – for household bills, empty property and ongoing costs.
- Digital life – for phones, email, online accounts and social media.