"Estate administration" refers to the process which must be followed when the estate of a person who has recently died is being distributed, either according to his or her wishes as laid out in a will, or the laws governing the distribution of the assets of a person who dies without a will.

If the decedent (the person who died) left a will, the process of estate administration in Hampshire Illinois will typically be carried out according to the instructions in the will.

Typically, wills appoint 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 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 Hampshire, Illinois 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.

Typically, this will be the person who has the most to acquire from the will, or who would gain the most under Illinois's intestacy scheme (the system that distributes the decedent's property to his or her closest living relatives, if he or she dies without a will).

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