"Estate administration" refers to the procedure 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 regulating 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 La Salle Illinois will normally be carried out according to the instructions in the will.

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 whoever stands to acquire the most money or property if the will is given effect, since that is the person who likely has the most incentive to do their part in seeing that the probate process plays out to completion.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in La Salle, Illinois does not name a person to serve as executor, or the decedent dies without having written a will, the court will assign a person to act as estate administrator.

This is usually the person who will benefit the most if the will is executed. If there is no will (a situation recognized as "intestacy"), Illinois has a system of laws distributing the decedent's property to his or her closest living relative. In such a case, the closest living relative has the most to gain from an orderly administration of the estate, so they will usually be appointed.

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

Whoever is assigned 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 La Salle, Illinois Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you are the executor of an estate, and don't know how to handle some of the legal and financial intricacies that may arise, an accomplished La Salle, Illinois lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.