When a person dies, a process known as "estate administration" must be carried out. This refers to all the processes which must be followed in distributing a person's estate to their heirs or devisees.

If the decedent (the person who died) left a will, the process of estate administration in New Albany Mississippi will usually be carried out according to the instructions in the will.

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

The executor generally has at least some work cut out for them. This obviously raises the issue of compensation. The easiest way to guarantee 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 done.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If the will in New Albany, Mississippi does not name an executor, or the decedent left no will to be found, the court has to assign a person to serve as the administrator of the estate.

Usually, the person chosen to be executor is the one who would benefit most under the will, or under Mississippi'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. Usually, 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 share in the will can apply to the court in New Albany, Mississippi to be the executor of the estate, if they wish.

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

Can a New Albany, Mississippi 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 complexities that may arise, an experienced New Albany, Mississippi lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.