"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 Elizabethtown, Kentucky, the estate is usually administered in a way that follows the instructions the will lays out, as closely as possible.

Wills usually name an executor. The executor's role revolves around ensuring that the instructions in the will are implemented.

The executor is normally the person who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will, since this personn will have the greatest incentive to see the probate and administration process to completion.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Elizabethtown, Kentucky 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 commonly the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Kentucky. 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 govern 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 Elizabethtown, Kentucky court.

When the executor is chosen, they serve as a sort of incarnation of the decedent's estate - the estate's legal interests become the executor's interests, and the executor is expected to protect the estate's interests as they would their own.

Can a Elizabethtown, Kentucky Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you find yourself named in a will as executor of an estate, and aren't sure how to meet your responsibilities, or where to begin, it would be a good idea to consult with an accomplished Elizabethtown, Kentucky lawyer who can help you navigate this sometimes-perplexing process.