Who can serve as the administrator of an intestate estate?

In Washington, the administrator of an intestate estate is the person who is appointed by the court to settle the affairs of the deceased. The court will appoint the administrator according to a specific order of priority. First, the court may appoint a person nominated by the will of the deceased or anyone else who has an interest in the deceased’s estate. If the will does not designate an administrator, or if there is no will, the court may appoint the surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, then the court may appoint the deceased’s adult children. If there are no adult children, then the court may appoint the deceased’s parents, brothers and sisters, or other close relatives. Lastly, if there are no close relatives, then the court may appoint an administrator who is a qualified personal representative, such as a licensed attorney. In this case, the personal representative must post a bond before the court appoints him or her as administrator. The bond is meant to ensure that the administrator will properly manage the estate on behalf of the heirs. It is important to note that in some cases, the court might appoint a public administrator if it is in the best interest of the estate. This situation usually occurs when there are no heirs or relatives of the deceased or if no one is willing to serve as administrator.

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Who can serve as the administrator of an intestate estate?

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