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

If the decedent wrote a will before his or her death in Thomaston, Connecticut, the process will be carried out according to the directives contained in the will, assuming they are valid and enforceable.

The decedent typically names in the will an executor of his or her estate. The executor is the person whose job it is to take the lead role in the administration of an estate.

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 Thomaston, Connecticut 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 stands to gain the most from the will, or who would inherit the most under Connecticut'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 typically distributes the property to the closest living relatives of the decedent, assuming they can be located.

If the will doesn't name anyone as executor, or the person who was named as executor is no longer living or cannot be found, anyone who has a direct interest in the will in Thomaston, Connecticut can apply to the court to be the executor.

Whoever is appointed to serve as executor, it is their job to act as the representative of the estate. Among other jobs, they have to account for the decedent's debts and assets, and inform any beneficiaries who might be unaware of the situation.

Can a Thomaston, Connecticut Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you are the administrator of an estate, and are not a legal and/or financial professional, you might confront legal or tax issues with which you are unfamiliar. A Thomaston, Connecticut attorney would be quite helpful in such a situation.