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

If the decedent has made a will in Gun Barrel, Texas, the process will play out according to the instructions specified in the will.

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

The executor is often the person who will get the most money or property out of the will if it is given effect, because this is the person who will have the greatest incentive to see that the probate process goes as quickly as possible.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a Gun Barrel, Texas will does not name an executor, or no will exists or can be found, it's up to the local court to decide who should be the executor.

This is most often the person who stands to gain the most from the will, or who would inherit the most under Texas'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 usually distributes the property to the closest living relatives of the decedent, assuming they can be located.

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 Gun Barrel, Texas can apply to the court to be the executor.

Whoever is appointed to serve as executor, it is their job to act as the representative of the estate. Among other jobs, they have to account for the decedent's debts and assets, and inform any beneficiaries who might be unaware of the situation.

Can a Gun Barrel, Texas Estate Administration Attorney Help?

Some people are surprised when they find out they've been named the executor of a relative's estate. The responsibilities can seem daunting, but with the help of a good Gun Barrel, Texas attorney, the process almost always goes pretty smoothly.