Estate administration, in basic terms, is the process of maintenance and distribution of a person's assets after they die.

If the decedent had the foresight to draft and execute a will in Rohnert Park, California, the estate is usually administered in a way that follows the instructions the will lays out, as closely as possible.

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

The executor is commonly 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 Rohnert Park, California is silent as to who should be the executor, it is up to the court to decide who should serve in that capacity.

This is most commonly the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of California. 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 govern 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 Rohnert Park, California court.

Whoever ends up as the executor, it is their responsibility to serve as the personal representative of the estate. They will be responsible for taking account of all of the decedent's assets and debts, as well as notifying beneficiaries who may be estranged from the decedent, among other things.

Can a Rohnert Park, California 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 Rohnert Park, California lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.