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 Clanton, Alabama, the process of estate administration normally follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

Normally, 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 normally whoever stands to obtain 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 the will in Clanton, Alabama 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.

Normally, this will be the person who has the most to receive from the will, or who would gain the most under Alabama'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).

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 Clanton, Alabama 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 Clanton, Alabama 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 Clanton, Alabama lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.