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 Richfield, 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 person named as executor of an estate normally has some work ahead of them. To ensure that they really follow through on their obligations, 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 Richfield, Wisconsin is silent as to who should be the executor, it is up to the court to decide who should serve in that capacity.

Normally, the person chosen to be executor is the one who would benefit most under the will, or under Wisconsin'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 person who has some direct interest in the outcome can ask to be named executor by the Richfield, Wisconsin court.

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