A person who administers the
estate of a deceased person. The executor (if male) or executrix (if female) is responsible for gathering all of the decedent's
assets and giving them to the appropriate
beneficiaries. He/she is often a family member or lawyer who is either appointed in the decedent's
will or by a court. The executor/executrix has a
fiduciary responsibility to act on behalf of the decedent and to fulfill, as closely as possible, the wishes set forth in the will. Persons under 18 and convicted felons cannot serve as executors.