Can I force an executor to move the estate forward?

In the estate planning context, a beneficiary may be able to request information, ask the probate court to set deadlines, or seek another fiduciary if delay is harming the estate. In the estate planning context, executors and personal representatives generally have duties to protect estate property, address valid debts and taxes, keep records, and move the administration forward. For this legal issue, a person named in a will usually does not have full authority to act for the estate until the required probate appointment occurs.