Administrator of estate is a term used in common-law jurisdiction for a person assigned a particular responsibility. The administrator of estate definition describes a court-appointed individual assigned to manage an intestate’s estate, meaning the estate of a person who died without a will.
The powers and duties of an administrator of estate are similar to those of an executor but differ in how they perform their tasks. While the executor has a Will to follow and respect managing the estate, an administrator doesn’t have one, but only the procedure set by law. The female version of the term is administratrix; however, it is rarely used as it is considered outdated.
When someone dies but does not leave behind a valid Will, an administrator of estate is necessary. The deceased person who didn’t leave a will is referred to as a person that died intestate. The following situations require an administrator of estate and underline the importance of making a will:
When a person dies in any of the situations above, an administrator of estate is assigned to their estate by the court. They are responsible for what happens to that estate, and they have to make sure that all the deceased’s affairs are set in order.
The responsibility of an estate administrator is to administer the estate. This includes settling debts, covering the funeral expenses, and allocating the remainder of the estate by following the common law and the intestacy rules.
As mentioned above, the responsibilities of an administrator of estate are similar to those of an executor. An administrator must perform the following duties:
Before they appoint an administrator of estate, the
This individual can also be a family member who applies with evidence that anyone else related to the deceased agreed to their application or have been informed by it. Usually, the court’s administrator is the next of kin, but their interest in the estate plays an important role. Based on this, if an interest has been relinquished, the right to administer the estate is also lost.
The order in which an administrator of estate is appointed is the following:
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