Estate administration is the procedure during which the estate of a person who has recently died is maintained and divided among his or her heirs or beneficiaries. This normally happens according to the instructions in a will, but in case there is no will, there are laws regulating that situation, as well.

If the decedent (the person who died) left a will, the process of estate administration in Keizer Oregon will normally be carried out according to the instructions in the will.

Normally, wills assign an executor who is responsible for overseeing the administration of the estate, and seeing that its provisions are carried out, to the extent possible.

The person named as executor of an estate normally has some work ahead of them. To ensure that they really follow through on their commitments, most people name as executor the person who will get the most money, or other benefit, if the will is given effect as written. Because an estate can't be distributed until the administration process is complete, the executor has an incentive to see it through.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Keizer, Oregon does not name a person to serve as executor, or the decedent dies without having written a will, the court will assign 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 Oregon'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.

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 Keizer, Oregon court.

When the executor is chosen, they serve as a sort of incarnation of the decedent's estate - the estate's legal interests become the executor's interests, and the executor is expected to safeguard the estate's interests as they would their own.

Can a Keizer, Oregon 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 Keizer, Oregon lawyer who can help you navigate this sometimes-perplexing process.