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 Kenai, Alaska, the process of estate administration typically follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

Typically, wills appoint an executor who is responsible for overseeing the administration of the estate, and seeing that its provisions are carried out, to the extent possible.

The executor is typically 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 Kenai, Alaska will does not name an executor, or no will exists or can be found, it's up to the local court to decide who should be the executor.

This is most frequently the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Alaska. 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.

When a will is silent as to who should be the executor, any person who has some direct interest in the outcome can ask to be named executor by the Kenai, Alaska court.

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 Kenai, Alaska 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 knowledgeable Kenai, Alaska wills and trusts attorney.