The process of distributing and maintaining the estate (the total accumulated property) of a person who dies is identified 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 Vienna, West Virginia, the process of estate administration typically follows the procedures and instructions laid out in the will.

Wills normally name an executor. The executor's role revolves around ensuring that the instructions in the will are implemented.

The executor is typically the person who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will, since this personn will have the greatest incentive to see the probate and administration process to completion.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If the will in Vienna, West Virginia 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.

Typically, the person chosen to be executor is the one who would benefit most under the will, or under West Virginia'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. Typically, 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.

If the will doesn't name a person who is to serve as executor, or the person named is no longer alive or cannot be found, anyone with a direct interest in the will can apply to the Vienna, West Virginia court to be the executor.

Once an executor is finally named, he or she becomes responsible for serving as the living embodiment of the estate, using all legal means to protect the estate's interests (such as mounting plausible legal defenses against creditors).

Can a Vienna, West Virginia Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you are the administrator of an estate, and are not a legal and/or financial professional, you might confront legal or tax issues with which you are unfamiliar. A Vienna, West Virginia attorney would be quite helpful in such a situation.