Estate Administration in Chesterfield, Missouri

Find the right Estate Administration attorney in Chesterfield, MO

"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 Chesterfield, Missouri, the process will play out according to the instructions mentioned in the will.

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

The executor typically has at least some work cut out for them. This evidently 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 Chesterfield, Missouri will does not appoint anyone to serve as executor, or there is no will, the court has to choose someone to fill that role.

Normally, this will be the person who has the most to receive from the will, or who would gain the most under Missouri'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).

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 a Chesterfield, Missouri 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 Chesterfield, Missouri 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 intricacies that may arise, an accomplished Chesterfield, Missouri lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.

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

Life in Chesterfield

Chesterfield, Missouri is a city of approximately 47,000 people.

It is located a relatively short distance (about 25 miles) west of St. Louis, Missouri, the second-largest city in the state. This allows easy access to the many attractions St. Louis offers, such as fine dining, theater, art museums, and sporting events.

For those who have jobs in St. Louis, but prefer to live in a smaller, quieter town, Chesterfield is a good option to consider. Its quiet, suburban character makes it a good, safe place to settle down and raise a family. However, if you still have an itch for the city life, its close proximity to St. Louis means you'll be able to enjoy the excitement a large city has to offer, pretty much whenever you want.

Chesterfield, Missouri is also a very affluent community - with a median family income of over ,000, and a per capita income of over ,000. Less than 3% of the population of Chesterfield lives below the poverty line. It should come as no surprise, then, that the people who live in Chesterfield tend to be very successful and well-educated.

Accordingly, Chesterfield, Missouri lawyers have to be ready to take on some fairly sophisticated cases. This means that, when you hire a Chesterfield, Missouri attorney, it's a near certainty that they'll be able to handle whatever legal issues you can throw at them.

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