How does an executor formally wrap up and get discharged in Ontario?

Once all estate assets have been collected, debts paid, taxes filed and cleared, and distributions made, an executor can formally conclude the administration. There is no automatic court discharge in Ontario — the executor's obligations end when they have performed all their duties and the beneficiaries have either signed releases or a court has approved the accounts.

The most common approach for straightforward estates is to prepare a final accounting showing all transactions from start to finish, provide it to each beneficiary, and ask them to sign a release. Once signed, these releases protect the executor from future claims about the administration.

For more complex estates, or where a beneficiary refuses to sign a release, the executor can apply to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for a formal passing of accounts. Court approval of the accounts provides the same protection as a release. Some executors seek both — releases from beneficiaries who are willing, and court approval for contested items.