Blog

Posted on November 28, 2018

A will contains beneficiaries – i.e. a list of the people who will receive the decedent’s estate. If someone dies without a will then there is no list. In that situation who is going to receive the decedent’s property? A quick note… Most people think the answer to this question…

Posted on November 23, 2018

When a person passes away they leave their estate behind. Someone needs to step in and manage the estate. That person is called the personal representative. The personal representative manages then engages in the estate administration process. Estate administration is the process of collecting the estate assets, paying the taxes…

Posted on November 19, 2018

Anyone can become the estate administrator of an intestate estate. All they have to do is apply. If all interested parties can agree on someone to serve as the estate administrator then, following some procedural items, they can be appointed to that position. If people can’t agree on who is…

Posted on November 9, 2018

In most situations the process takes at least nine months. This is because there is a statute that allows creditors of the estate to file claims against the estate to officially announce the fact they are owed money by the estate. Executors should not pay beneficiaries until all creditors have…

Posted on November 2, 2018

(Or Can You Do It Alone)?

A question that comes up a lot is whether the personal representative of an estate – either an executor or administrator – should hire an attorney to help with the estate administration process. The personal representative’s job is relatively straightforward – at least in theory. They need to collect the…