When a person dies, a process identified 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 person who died made and executed a valid will in Selma, North Carolina, the process of estate administration typically follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

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

The executor is typically whoever stands to acquire 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 Selma, North Carolina 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.

This is most frequently the person who stands to gain the most from the will, or who would inherit the most under North Carolina's intestacy laws. Intestacy is the system that every state has in order to deal with the property of people who die without a will. It typically distributes the property to the closest living relatives of the decedent, assuming they can be located.

When a will is silent as to who should be the executor, any individual who has some direct interest in the result can ask to be named executor by the Selma, North Carolina court.

Whoever ends up as the executor, it is their responsibility to serve as the personal representative of the estate. They will be accountable for taking account of all of the decedent's assets and debts, as well as notifying beneficiaries who may be estranged from the decedent, among other things.

Can a Selma, North Carolina 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 efficient Selma, North Carolina lawyer who can help you navigate this sometimes-complicated process.