"An administrator is required to wind up the deceased's estate and distribute his assets to the persons entitled to them under the Will or intestacy". (Mark Halliwell, 1996, Distribution on Intestacies, F.T. Law and Tax pp39).

Authorisation

The administrator (or administratrix, the female equivalent) acts as the personal representative of the estate. To do this, he or she will have obtained a "Grant of Letters of Administration" from a court. In normal circumstances, he or she will instruct a solicitor to administer the estate on his or her behalf.

Role

The administering solicitors will then proceed to realise the assets of the estate (i.e. sell the various assets to be able to deal exclusively with money) and then dispose of any liabilities (debts, taxes and costs). They will then prepare the accounts for the estate, showing the balance available for the beneficiaries, before finally ensuring that all those who are entitled to receive a share of the estate do so.

How?

If you have been asked to be the administrator of an estate your role involves instructing a solicitor to work on your behalf and may also involve you taking certain decisions during the administration of the estate. The administering solicitors will of course advise you with any decisions you need to take. We can recommend suitable solicitors experienced in this field, or you can instruct one of your own choice. However, we recommend that the solicitor should work for a law firm with a probate department.