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 normally 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 Hidalgo County, Texas, the process will play out according to the instructions mentioned in the will.

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

The executor is commonly 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 the will in Hidalgo County, Texas does not name an executor, or the decedent left no will to be found, the court has to appoint a person to serve as the administrator of the estate.

This is most commonly 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 normally distributes the property to the closest living relatives of the decedent, assuming they can be located.

In cases where the will doesn't name an executor, or the person named is unable to take on that role for whatever reason, any person who has some direct stake in the decedent's estate (either because they're named in the will or stand to inherit by intestacy) can petition a Hidalgo County, Texas court to be appointed executor.

Whoever ends up as the executor, it is their responsibility to serve as the personal representative of the estate. They will be responsible 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 Hidalgo County, Texas 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 intricacies that may arise, an accomplished Hidalgo County, Texas lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.