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

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

The person named as executor of an estate usually has some work ahead of them. To ensure that they actually follow through on their obligations, most people name as executor the person who will get the most money, or other benefit, if the will is given effect as written. Because an estate can't be distributed until the administration process is complete, the executor has an incentive to see it through.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a Temecula, California will does not appoint anyone to serve as executor, or there is no will, the court has to choose someone to fill that role.

This is most often the person who stands to gain the most from the will, or who would inherit the most under California's intestacy laws. Intestacy is the system that every state has in order to deal with the property of people who die without a will. It usually distributes the property to the closest living relatives of the decedent, assuming they can be located.

If no executor is named in the will, anyone with a stake in the will can apply to the court in Temecula, California to be the executor of the estate, if they wish.

Once an executor is finally named, he or she becomes responsible for serving as the living embodiment of the estate, using all legal means to protect the estate's interests (such as mounting plausible legal defenses against creditors).

Can a Temecula, 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 good Temecula, California wills and trusts attorney.