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 Santee, California, the estate is normally administered in a way that follows the instructions the will lays out, as closely as possible.

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

The executor is frequently 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 the will in Santee, California 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.

Typically, the person chosen to be executor is the one who would benefit most under the will, or under California's intestacy laws. "Intestacy" refers to a situation in which a person dies without a will, or "dies intestate." Every state has laws to address this situation, and there isn't a lot of variation from state to state. Typically, the decedent's property will go to his or her closest relative, and if absolutely no living relatives can be found, it will go to the state.

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 Santee, 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 Santee, California 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 Santee, California wills and trusts attorney.