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

If the decedent has made a will in Burbank, Illinois, the process will play out according to the instructions stated in the will.

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 a will in Burbank, Illinois 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 frequently the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Illinois. 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 control 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 Burbank, Illinois court.

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 Burbank, Illinois 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 Burbank, Illinois attorney would be quite helpful in such a situation.