When a person dies, a process recognized as "estate administration" must be carried out. This refers to all the procedures 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 Amherst, New Hampshire, the process of estate administration normally follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

Most often, a will names a person to serve as executor, whose job it is to ensure that the estate is properly administered.

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 completed.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Amherst, New Hampshire does not name a person to serve as executor, or the decedent dies without having written a will, the court will appoint a person to act as estate administrator.

Normally, the person chosen to be executor is the one who would benefit most under the will, or under New Hampshire'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. Normally, 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 the will doesn't name anyone as executor, or the person who was named as executor is no longer living or cannot be found, anyone who has a direct interest in the will in Amherst, New Hampshire can apply to the court to be the executor.

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

Can a Amherst, New Hampshire 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 accomplished Amherst, New Hampshire lawyer who can help you navigate this sometimes-difficult process.