The procedure of distributing and maintaining the estate (the total accumulated property) of a person who dies is known as "estate administration." It is carried out either through the provisions of a will, or local laws addressing the issue of a person who dies without a will.

If the decedent (the person who died) left a will, the process of estate administration in Glen Allen Virginia will usually be carried out according to the instructions in the will.

The decedent usually names in the will an executor of his or her estate. The executor is the person whose job it is to take the lead role in the administration of an estate.

The executor is usually whoever stands to acquire the most money or property if the will is given effect, since that is the person who likely has the most incentive to do their part in seeing that the probate process plays out to completion.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Glen Allen, Virginia is silent as to who should be the executor, it is up to the court to determine 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 Virginia. 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 share in the will can apply to the court in Glen Allen, Virginia 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 safeguard the estate's interests as they would their own.

Can a Glen Allen, Virginia Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you have unexpectedly been appointed to be the executor of a relative's estate, and don't know how to handle this process, you should speak with a reputable Glen Allen, Virginia wills and trusts attorney.