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You're entitled to 3% of the gross value of the estate as compensation. The duties are as follows: What is Required of a Personal Representative? Being the personal representative, also known in some states as the executor, of an estate is not a task to take lightly. A personal representative is the person responsible for managing the administration of a deceased individual's estate. Although the time and effort involved will vary with the size of the estate, even if you are the personal representative of a small estate you will have important duties that must be performed correctly or you may be liable to the estate or the beneficiaries. The personal representative is either named in the will or if there is no will, appointed by the court. You do not have to accept the position of personal representative even if you are named in the will. The average estate administration takes one year, though you won't need to work full time on it. Following are some of the duties you may have to perform as personal representative: Locate documents. If there is a will, but you don't already know where the will is or the will hasn't already been brought to court, you may need to find it among the deceased's belongings. If all you have is a copy of the will, you may need to get the original from the lawyer who drafted it. You will also need to get a copy of the death certificate. Hire an attorney. You are not required to hire an attorney, but mistakes can cost you money. You may be personally liable if something goes wrong with the estate or the payment of taxes. An attorney can help you make sure all the proper steps are taken and deadlines met. Apply for probate. If there is a will, the court will grant you letters testamentary. If there is no will, you will receive letters of administration. This will officially begin your work as the executor. Notify interested parties. Notify the beneficiaries of the will, if there is a will, as well as any potential heirs (such as children, siblings, or parents who may or may not be named in a will). In addition, you will have to place an advertisement for potential creditors in a newspaper near where the deceased lived. Manage the deceased's property. You will need to prepare a list of the deceased's assets and liabilities, and you may need to collect any property in the hands of other people. One of the executor's jobs is to protect the property from loss, so you will need to assure the property is kept safe. You will also need to hire an appraiser to find out how much any property is worth. In addition, if the estate includes a business, you may have to make sure the business continues to run. Pay valid claims by creditors. Once the creditors are determined, you will need to pay the deceased's debts from the estate's funds. The executor is not personally liable for deceased's debts. The estate usually pays any reasonable funeral expenses first. Other debts include probate and administration fees and taxes as well as any valid claims filed by creditors. File tax returns. You need to make sure the tax forms are filed within the time frame set under the law. Taxes will include estate taxes and income taxes. Distribute the assets to the beneficiaries. Once the creditors' claims are clear, the executor is responsible for making sure the beneficiaries get what they are entitled to under the will or under the law, if there is no will. You may be required to sell property in order to fulfill legacies in a will. In addition, you may have to set up any trusts required by the will. Keep accurate records. It is very important to keep accurate records of everything you do. You will need to create a final accounting, which the beneficiaries must review before the distribution of the estate can be finalized. The accounting should include any distributions and expenses as well a

The probate court will usually have an information packet to get started. A probate attorney can help with estate matters. The maximum amount a personal representative is entitled to in South Carolina is five percent.

In Nevada, a non-Nevada resident can serve as the personal representative of an estate in one of two ways. First, if there is a will that designates you to serve as the executor of the will, then you can serve as the executor of the will even if you do not live in Nevada. Second, if there is no will you can be appointed to serve as administrator of the estate but you will be required to have a Nevada resident serve with you as a co-administrator. In either situation, you will have to be otherwise qualified to serve, which means that you are an adult, that you do not have a disqualifying felony conviction, and that you do not have a conflict of interest or other reason that would make you unqualified to serve. In addition, if there is no will the Nevada statutes have a priority list of who is entitled to serve as the administrator of the estate. If there are individuals who have a higher priority to serve, you may not be entitled to serve if that person has also petitioned the court to be appointed. In any situation, it is important to consult with an experienced probate lawyer who practices primarily in probate law to ensure that you receive the best advice. An experienced probate lawyer will be able to guide you through all of these issues and ensure that your ability to serve as personal representative of the estate is protected.