A fiduciary is someone the law requires to act in another person’s best interest first — not their own — and holds to a legal duty of loyalty and care while doing it. An executor, administrator, personal representative, and successor trustee are all fiduciaries, whether or not the paperwork in front of them uses that word.
Why it matters
If you’ve been named executor, administrator, or successor trustee, you become a fiduciary the moment you start acting for the estate or trust — often before any court appointment or trust paperwork is fully finalized. That status brings real obligations: keeping estate or trust funds and property separate from your own, keeping records of what you do, and treating heirs or beneficiaries fairly rather than favoring yourself or one person over another. What your fiduciary duties specifically require in your situation is a question for a probate attorney — this page only explains the general concept.
General California probate and trust real-estate education. Not legal, tax, title, appraisal, or court advice. Talk with a qualified professional about your situation.