Should an executor pay every bill that arrives after someone dies?

In a probate or estate setting, the first practical step is to identify which document, title, or court appointment currently gives someone authority to act. For this legal issue, the personal representative usually must follow state procedures for notice, valid claims, priorities, taxes, and distributions. In the estate planning context, debts are generally obligations of the deceased person's estate rather than automatic personal debts of adult children or other beneficiaries, although a co signer, joint account holder, surviving spouse under some state laws, or person who personally agreed to pay may have separate liability. Probate, trust, property, and family rules differ from state to state, so a local attorney can check the documents against the current probate or title record before anyone changes ownership or takes another hard to reverse step.