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If you're the executor: settling an estate is usually a nettlesome task. We'll help you minimize the headaches.

Article Excerpt
Years ago, when Charlotte internist William G. Porter was asked what he'd say to his deceased father if he were suddenly face to face with him again, he replied, "Where did you put the deed to the boat dock?"

Porter was only half-kidding, given the headaches he went through to settle his dad's estate. As executor of his father's will, Porter was "hip deep" in his father's affairs and "sinking deeper by the day."

An executor--or personal representative, as they're called in some states--settles the estate according to the terms of the will. While the job can be wrapped up in a relatively short amount of time, the duties can still seem overwhelming. Here's a rundown of the many tasks you'll face in fulfilling the deceased's wishes, and what to consider when choosing an executor for your own estate.

Step 1: Read and understand the will. Being tapped as an executor may come as a surprise. It's quite common for someone to name an executor in his will but forget to tell that person about it.

Even though executors are paid for serving--states vary on how compensation is figured, but more than $100 an hour isn't unusual--you may decide you'd rather not handle the job. Perhaps you're not related to the beneficiaries, you don't get along with one of them, or you expect some messy...