Estate administration, in basic terms, is the process of maintenance and distribution of a person's assets after they die.

If the person who died made and executed a valid will in Rainsville, Alabama, the process of estate administration usually follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

Wills typically name an executor. The executor's role revolves around ensuring that the instructions in the will are implemented.

The executor is usually the person who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will, since this personn will have the greatest incentive to see the probate and administration process to completion.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Rainsville, Alabama is silent as to who should be the executor, it is up to the court to decide who should serve in that capacity.

This is most often the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Alabama. Intestacy is when a person dies without having made a will, or if a will turns out to be invalid. The intestacy laws of each state determine how property is distributed in such a situation. In most states, it simply goes to the closest living relative.

If no executor is named in the will, anyone with a stake in the will can apply to the court in Rainsville, Alabama to be the executor of the estate, if they wish.

When the executor is chosen, they serve as a sort of incarnation of the decedent's estate - the estate's legal interests become the executor's interests, and the executor is expected to protect the estate's interests as they would their own.

Can a Rainsville, Alabama Estate Administration Attorney Help?

Some people are surprised when they find out they've been named the executor of a relative's estate. The responsibilities can seem daunting, but with the help of a good Rainsville, Alabama attorney, the process almost always goes pretty smoothly.