"Estate administration" refers to the process which must be followed when the estate of a person who has recently died is being distributed, either according to his or her wishes as laid out in a will, or the laws governing the distribution of the assets of a person who dies without a will.

If the decedent had the foresight to draft and execute a will in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, the estate is normally administered in a way that follows the instructions the will lays out, as closely as possible.

Most frequently, a will names a person to serve as executor, whose job it is to ensure that the estate is properly administered.

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 quickly as possible.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana does not name a person to serve as executor, or the decedent dies without having written a will, the court will appoint a person to act as estate administrator.

This is most frequently the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Louisiana. 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 control how property is distributed in such a situation. In most states, it simply goes to the closest living relative.

If the will doesn't name a person who is to serve as executor, or the person named is no longer alive or cannot be found, anyone with a direct interest in the will can apply to the Evangeline Parish, Louisiana court to be the executor.

Whoever is appointed 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 Evangeline Parish, Louisiana 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. An Evangeline Parish, Louisiana attorney would be quite helpful in such a situation.