An administrator is the person a probate court appoints to manage an estate when there is no will, or no executor named in the will is willing or able to serve. The administrator has duties similar to an executor, paying debts and distributing assets, but the authority comes from the court's appointment rather than a will.
Why it matters
The court, not a will, decides who has authority to sell a house when the owner died without one.
General information, not legal or tax advice.