The process of distributing and maintaining the estate (the total accumulated property) of a person who dies is recognized as "estate administration." It is carried out either through the provisions of a will, or local laws addressing the problem of a person who dies without a will.

If the person who died made and executed a valid will in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, the process of estate administration normally follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

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

The executor is normally whoever stands to obtain 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 Mukwonago, Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin'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.

If no executor is named in the will, anyone with a stake in the will can apply to the court in Mukwonago, Wisconsin to be the executor of the estate, if they wish.

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 Mukwonago, Wisconsin 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 Mukwonago, Wisconsin lawyer can make this process a great deal easier.