Probate for Estates

When an adult (depending on what is considered an adult in your area, usually it is 18 or 21 years old) dies without living a will, this is known as intestate. In cases like this, the estate of the person will divided not by the surviving family or relatives but by the courts basing on the prevailing laws in their location. Usually, the spouse gets a greater percentage of the estate, in some cases, the parents if there is no spouse, even children from a previous marriage are considered.

The surviving heirs can request for a court appointed administrator to handle the estate on a temporary basis until all taxes and debts are paid and the division of the estate is finalized. The administrator is just like an executor of the estate, he will also represent the estate while there is no final judgment from the court. The administrator will be paid by the estate for the services he renders.