"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 had the foresight to draft and execute a will in Bardstown, Kentucky, the estate is normally administered in a way that follows the instructions the will lays out, as closely as possible.

Frequently, the will appoints an executor whose job it is to oversee the administration of the will.

The person named as executor of an estate typically has some work ahead of them. To ensure that they truly follow through on their obligations, most people name as executor the person who will get the most money, or other benefit, if the will is given effect as written. Because an estate can't be distributed until the administration process is complete, the executor has an incentive to see it through.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a Bardstown, Kentucky 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 Kentucky'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 a person who is to serve as executor, or the person named is no longer alive or cannot be found, anyone with a direct interest in the will can apply to the Bardstown, Kentucky court to be the executor.

Once an executor is finally named, he or she becomes responsible for serving as the living embodiment of the estate, using all legal means to protect the estate's interests (such as mounting plausible legal defenses against creditors).

Can a Bardstown, Kentucky 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 Bardstown, Kentucky attorney would be quite helpful in such a situation.