"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 has made a will in Grand Haven, Michigan, the process will play out according to the instructions stated in the will.

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

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 will in Grand Haven, Michigan is silent as to who should be the executor, it is up to the court to decide who should serve in that capacity.

Typically, the person chosen to be executor is the one who would benefit most under the will, or under Michigan's intestacy laws. "Intestacy" refers to a situation in which a person dies without a will, or "dies intestate." Every state has laws to address this situation, and there isn't a lot of variation from state to state. Typically, the decedent's property will go to his or her closest relative, and if absolutely no living relatives can be found, it will go to the state.

If no executor is named in the will, anyone with a stake in the will can apply to the court in Grand Haven, Michigan to be the executor of the estate, if they wish.

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 Grand Haven, Michigan Estate Administration Attorney Help?

Some people are surprised when they find out they've been named the executor of a relative's estate. The responsibilities can seem daunting, but with the help of a knowledgeable Grand Haven, Michigan attorney, the process almost always goes pretty smoothly.