Serving as an executor—called a personal representative under Alberta’s Estate Administration Act—is an honour, but also a job that can last a year or more. Before you say “yes,” make sure you understand the executor responsibilities Alberta law imposes and what help is available.

Probate is the court-supervised step that confirms a will’s validity and appoints the personal representative (executor). In Alberta, the Court of King’s Bench (Surrogate Division) issues one of two documents: (1) a Grant of Probate if there is a valid will naming an executor or (2) a Grant of Administration if there is no will, or the named executor cannot act. Until the Grant is in hand, banks, brokerages, and the land titles office generally refuse to release or transfer e

Alberta does not have a precise statutory formula for calculating executor fees. Instead, guidance is found within the Surrogate Rules and case law interpreting what constitutes fair compensation. Factors typically include: the size and complexity of the estate, the skill and efficiency demonstrated by the executor, and the actual time spent administering the estate. While there is no set percentage, courts often use 3-5% of the estate’s gross value as a general benchmark.