"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 Tecumseh, Michigan, the process will play out according to the instructions mentioned in the will.

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

The executor is normally whoever stands to obtain 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 the will in Tecumseh, Michigan does not name an executor, or the decedent left no will to be found, the court has to appoint a person to serve as the administrator of the estate.

Normally, this will be the person who has the most to receive from the will, or who would gain the most under Michigan'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 Tecumseh, Michigan court to be the executor.

Whoever is appointed 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 Tecumseh, Michigan Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you have unexpectedly been appointed to be the executor of a relative's estate, and don't know how to handle this process, you should speak with a brilliant Tecumseh, Michigan wills and trusts attorney.