Debt Responsibilities

[saracb1]

My father passed away two months ago. I'm the executioner of the will as well as the sole beneficiary to all his investment accounts as well as his life insurance policy. My father still owed money for his vehicle and his house, both more than what I could probably get for them in the current market, as well as small credit card debt. Is it my responsiblity to pay off these debts and the differences in what I can sell them for? Or do I have the right to just hand them back over to the institutions which my father financed them through? Can these companies go after the money left to me by my father? Or hurt my credit?