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

If the decedent wrote a will before his or her death in Lake Alfred, Florida, the process will be carried out according to the directives included in the will, assuming they are legitimate and enforceable.

Normally, wills assign 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 the person who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will, since this individualn 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 Lake Alfred, Florida will does not assign anyone to serve as executor, or there is no will, the court has to choose someone to fill that role.

This is most commonly the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Florida. 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.

If no executor is named in the will, anyone with a share in the will can apply to the court in Lake Alfred, Florida to be the executor of the estate, if they wish.

When the executor is chosen, they serve as a sort of incarnation of the decedent's estate - the estate's legal interests become the executor's interests, and the executor is expected to safeguard the estate's interests as they would their own.

Can a Lake Alfred, Florida Estate Administration Attorney Help?

Some people are surprised when they find out they've been named the executor of a relative's estate. The responsibilities can seem daunting, but with the help of a seasoned Lake Alfred, Florida attorney, the process almost always goes pretty smoothly.