Before Agreeing to Administer an Estate
Since administering an estate can be complicated and time-consuming, there are certain aspects of the job a prospective administrator should consider before agreeing to take the position. You might want to ask yourself:
- Do I have the time to administer an estate?
- Do I live locally or close enough to the decedent’s property to handle the necessary travel back and forth?
- Do I have the time to learn about probate procedures, file court documents, and collect the decedent’s assets?
- Am I motivated enough to see the process through, from start to finish?
- Do I have the physical and/or emotional ability to do this while I am still grieving?
If a prospective estate administrator is not up to the task, an estate planning attorney may be able to assist them.
Who Else Can Become an Estate Administrator
Aside from an attorney, California also maintains an “order of priority” for selecting who can serve as an estate administrator. If someone dies without a will, California will begin contacting their closest blood relatives to serve as administrators. The partial list of priority is:
- Surviving spouse or domestic partner
- Children
- Grandchildren
- Great-grandchildren
- Parents
- Brothers and sisters
If a spouse refuses to serve as the estate administrator, the position will be offered to children, then grandchildren, and so on. If the court cannot find any relatives willing to act as the estate administrator, the position could be given to a civil servant—or even an estate creditor.
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