Is this going to get me in trouble?

What is the name of your state? California

My father passed away recently leaving my step-mom as the legal executor of his estate and is in charge of disposing all his properties. However, there is one sticky bank account that he had named a close friend as beneficiary and has written instruction that the money he left with this friend is to be used for his funeral. After the funeral (which I paied for), this friend send me a cashier's check to cover the expenses.

I am reluctant to cash the check because I am not sure what the legal ramifications are?

Anyone able to clarify this for me?

Thanks

sounds to me like you just got your money back. How could that be trouble?I am not an attorney but have experience with this. If you volunteered to pay the funeral expenses and the money was left to cover it then you should be reimbursed.

What are you afraid of? There are no legal ramifications, and you were lucky that the friend wanted to do the right thing and reimburse you--he could have refused to pay and forced you to be reimbursed from the estate.