Estate Administration in Urbana, Illinois

Find the right Estate Administration attorney in Urbana, IL

"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 Urbana Illinois will typically be carried out according to the instructions 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 usually has at least some work cut out for them. This apparently raises the issue of compensation. The easiest way to ensure that the executor does his or her job is simply to appoint the person who has the most to gain from the will. That way, they cannot inherit until the process is finished.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

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

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

In cases where the will doesn't name an executor, or the person named is unable to take on that role for whatever reason, any person who has some direct stake in the decedent's estate (either because they're named in the will or stand to inherit by intestacy) can petition an Urbana, Illinois court to be appointed executor.

Once an executor is appointed (whether by being named in the will, or on the application of another person), they "step into the shoes" of the estate, and are expected to protect its interests to the fullest extent possible. They also are required to accurately inventory the estate's debts and assets, as well as notify potential beneficiaries.

Can a Urbana, 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 difficulties that may arise, an efficient Urbana, Illinois lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Urbana

Urbana is located in Champaign County, Illinois. It has a population of over 41,000 people.

Some great sites to visit include Market at the Square, the Urbana Free Library, Station Theatre, Candlestick Lane, Lincoln Hotel, University of Illinois Arboretum, University of Illinois Conservatory and Plant Collection, and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

For all the nature lovers out there, Urbana has some beautiful parks. Such parks include Carle Park, Meadowbrook Park, Urbana Dog Park, and Anita Purves Nature Center.

Being so near Chicago, Urbana residents have an extremely competent legal force to handle their legal matters. Chicago is home to many top ranked law firms that train ivy-league educated attorneys. Further, Chicago also has many small to mid-size law firms that train intelligent attorneys who focus on providing personalized legal services.

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