Estate Planning

Estate Administration

Estate administration is the court-supervised process through which a personal representative collects a decedent’s assets, pays his or her final debts and expenses, and distributes the remainder of those assets to decedent’s. If you’ve recently lost a family member, the process of estate administration can seem burdensome, confusing or both. And, some form of administration is almost always necessary, whether the deceased had a will or not.

There are some key roles played in an estate administration. If a Last Will can be found, the role is the Executor, named as such in the Last Will; if no Will is located, the role is the Administrator, and the actual person to perform that role is determined by statute. An administrator can be a spouse, child, sibling, parent and even a creditor. Executors and Administrators are also known as “personal representatives” and regardless of the name, have a fiduciary duty to carry out the terms of the will, only after final expenses have been paid. There can be severe consequences for the personal representative who performs his or her duties incorrectly, and what might seem like an innocent error can result in delays in administration and additional costs.

Sodoma Law can make this process easier by making all appearances before the court, preparing all documents, and assisting the personal representative with his or her duties. We can assist you as much, or as little, as you wish. If your loved one had a revocable trust in place, estate administration might not even be required. Sodoma Law Estate Planning attorneys are well-versed in the estate administration, having appeared before the court in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Union, Cabarrus and Catawba Counties. If your loved one had his or her will prepared by an attorney in our Estate Planning Group, the initial conference to discuss the estate administration was included in the fee they paid when the will was prepared.

When you’re facing this challenge, Sodoma Law is here to competently and compassionately help you navigate the estate administration process.

Contact our estate planning attorneys today by filling out the form below, or use the menu to the right for more information on our specific estate planning services.

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