‘I want to make her proud’: My mother, a divorcée, died and I’m her executor. Do I need to file for probate?

SO THE PART THAT GOT ME IS THIS SOMEONE HAS TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THEY LEGALLY NEED TO FILE FOR PROBATE COURT RIGHT NOW AND THE THING IS THEY ARE COMMITTED TO PAYING OFF EVERY SINGLE OUTSTANDING DEBT THEMSELVES WHICH APPARENTLY ONLY AMOUNTS TO UTILITY BILLS AND CREDIT CARD CHARGES AND WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK TO MAKE THEIR LATE MOTHER PROUD AFTER SHE PASSED AWAY AND SHE WAS A DIVORCÉE AND NAMED THEM AS HER EXECUTOR SO NOW THEY ARE WRITING IN TO MARKETWATCH TO SORT OUT THE ACTUAL LEGAL PROCESS FOR THE ESTATE AND WHETHER FORMAL PROBATE IS EVEN REQUIRED UNDER THE LAW OR IF THEY JUST PAY THOSE BILLS DIRECTLY. ANYWAY REMIND ME TO LOOK THIS UP TOMORROW.

LET ME RUIN YOUR NIGHT FOR ONE SECOND OVER ON MARKETWATCH WHICH IS THE EXACT FINANCIAL ADVICE SITE PEOPLE GO TO WHEN ESTATE LAW HITS REALITY AND SOMEONE IS WRITING IN BECAUSE THEIR MOTHER WHO WAS A DIVORCÉE SADLY PASSED AWAY AND THEY GOT NAMED AS HER EXECUTOR AND THE WHOLE THING IS THEY DESPERATELY WANT TO MAKE HER PROUD AND DO THIS ENTIRE FINANCIAL PROCESS COMPLETELY BY THE BOOK SO NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY ACTUALLY LEGALLY HAVE TO FILE FOR PROBATE COURT AT ALL WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE THE ONLY LIABILITIES ON THE ENTIRE ESTATE ARE JUST REGULAR UTILITY CHARGES AND SOME CREDIT CARD BILLS AND THEY ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TO PAYING THOSE OFF THEMSELVES BUT NOBODY IN THE LETTER ACTUALLY EXPLAINS WHETHER SKIPPING PROBATE IS PERMITTED OR NOT. ANYWAY I AM FINE, EVERYTHING IS FINE.

An executor is asking whether they need to file for probate after their mother died leaving only utility and credit card debts.

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