Deceased Estate Administration

An executor ensures the terms of the will are carried out and this may include:

• applying to the Supreme Court of South Australia for a Grant of Probate
• closing bank accounts
• liaising with beneficiaries.
• locating / identifying / selling / transferring assets 
• making funeral arrangements
• paying expenses / debts from the proceeds of the estate. 

The most common causes for delays are:

• the Will is damaged, lost or not executed correctly
• a sole executor dies
• an executor breaches their duties
• an executor has not been appointed
• assets are left to a group of people, for example “my nieces and nephews” so verifying the name of each individual may take time
• beneficiaries are unable to be located
• beneficiaries cannot decide what should happen to certain assets
• beneficiaries do not agree to the terms of the will
• difficulty in selling assets
• key documents cannot be located
• the name of a beneficiary or executor has not been correctly spelt
• the sole executor is under 18 years old.

The time required to administer an estate can vary depending on the complexity of the will, the nature of the assets in the estate, and whether there are any legal claims made against the estate.