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

If the decedent has made a will in Bellwood, Illinois, the process will play out according to the instructions stated in the will.

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

The executor is frequently the person who will get the most money or property out of the will if it is given effect, because this is the person who will have the greatest incentive to see that the probate process goes as rapidly as possible.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Bellwood, Illinois is silent as to who should be the executor, it is up to the court to determine who should serve in that capacity.

Typically, this will be the person who has the most to acquire from the will, or who would gain the most under Illinois's intestacy scheme (the system that distributes the decedent's property to his or her closest living relatives, if he or she dies without a will).

When a will is silent as to who should be the executor, any individual who has some direct interest in the result can ask to be named executor by the Bellwood, Illinois court.

Whoever is assigned to serve as executor, it is their job to act as the representative of the estate. Among other jobs, they have to account for the decedent's debts and assets, and inform any beneficiaries who might be unaware of the situation.

Can a Bellwood, Illinois Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you are the administrator of an estate, and are not a legal and/or financial professional, you might confront legal or tax issues with which you are unfamiliar. A Bellwood, Illinois attorney would be quite helpful in such a situation.