"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 has made a will in St. Paul, Minnesota, the process will play out according to the instructions mentioned in the will.

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

The executor is normally 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 the will in St. Paul, Minnesota does not name an executor, or the decedent left no will to be found, the court has to appoint a person to serve as the administrator of the estate.

This is most commonly the person who stands to gain the most from the will, or who would inherit the most under Minnesota's intestacy laws. Intestacy is the system that every state has in order to deal with the property of people who die without a will. It normally distributes the property to the closest living relatives of the decedent, assuming they can be located.

In cases where the will doesn't name an executor, or the person named is unable to take on that role for whatever reason, any person who has some direct stake in the decedent's estate (either because they're named in the will or stand to inherit by intestacy) can petition a St. Paul, Minnesota court to be appointed executor.

Once an executor is appointed (whether by being named in the will, or on the application of another person), they "step into the shoes" of the estate, and are expected to protect its interests to the fullest extent possible. They also are required to accurately inventory the estate's debts and assets, as well as notify potential beneficiaries.

Can a St. Paul, Minnesota Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you are the executor of an estate, and don't know how to handle some of the legal and financial intricacies that may arise, an accomplished St. Paul, Minnesota lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.