Who is an Administrator?

• A. A person to whom letters of administration have been issued
• B. The executor named in the will
• C. The trustee in bankruptcy
• D. The guardian

Answer: (D)

An Administrator is the person the Surrogate's Court designates to manage the estate of a deceased person when there is no will naming an executor (or when the court appoints someone to administer the estate). The court issues letters of administration to that person, giving authority to gather assets, pay debts and taxes, file inventories, and eventually distribute what's left to the decedent’s heirs under the law. This role is distinct from an executor, who is named in a will and acts under its terms; a guardian, who protects the person or property of a minor or someone under disability; and a trustee in bankruptcy, who handles assets under bankruptcy proceedings. So, the administrator is the person to whom letters of administration have been issued to administer the decedent’s estate. The guardian is not an administrator.