What Is A Will Administrator?

Will Administrator Definition

A will administrator is an individual appointed to administer the last will and testament of a deceased person.

The will administrator’s duty is to distribute the estate per the intestacy laws.

The will administrator gets appointed by the court system.

What Is A Will Administrator?

An administrator is a court-appointed person who handles the financials of a deceased person.

The administrator will organize the estate and settle debts, expenses, and other obligations.

The administrator will also distribute the remaining assets per the will.

If there was no will, they will distribute assets per intestacy laws.

Key Takeaways For A Will Administrator

A will administrator handles the financials of a deceased person.
A will administrator gets appointed by the courts.
A will administrator’s authority is limited to the intestacy laws.
A will administrator gets appointed when there is not a will for the estate.

How A Will Administrator Works

The will administrator is responsible for making sure all assets in the estate are accounted for.

And, then, it’s their job to distribute the estate per the intestacy laws.

Sometimes there is a will and the courts still appoint a will administrator.

In this case, the will administrator distributes the estate per the will.

Assets that they distribute include things like:

real estate
retirement accounts
brokerage accounts for stocks
crypto wallets
vehicles

The will administrator is also responsible for paying off debts.

These debts include money owed to creditors and taxes that are owed by the estate.

What A Will Administrator Does

If there is a will, the will administrator will distribute the estate per the will.

If there is not a will, the administrator distributes the estate per intestacy laws.

The roles of a will administrator are:

find the decedent’s assets
manage the assets until they get distributed
figure out who inherits the property
terminate leases, credit cards, bank accounts, etc.
inform agencies like Social Security and USPS of the death
set up an estate bank account
use the estate account to pay ongoing expenses
pay off debts that the estate owes
pay off taxes that the estate owes
distribute the remaining estate to the heirs

Related Legal Terms

Share This Post With Someone Who Needs To See It

You want to invest into your future. Whether that’s protecting yourself with a prenup, getting a fresh start with divorce, or setting up your estate. You deserve reliable attorneys who get results. Fill out the form above for your FREE consultation.