AIP Professional Series · Chapter 8 of 11 · Administration

Estate Administration Support

Document-intensive work that requires systematic organization and deadline awareness

Probate ProcessCreditor ClaimsDistribution

After Death

Supporting the Personal Representative Through Administration

Estate administration support is the paralegal function that begins when a client dies and the estate planning relationship transitions to estate administration. The estate must be administered — debts paid, assets inventoried, beneficiaries identified, distributions made — within the legal framework of the jurisdiction's probate code. This process is document-intensive, deadline-driven, and governed by court procedures that vary significantly by jurisdiction.

The attorney directs estate administration. The paralegal supports it. The personal representative has legal obligations — fiduciary duties, creditor notice requirements, inventory deadlines, accounting requirements. Understanding how to fulfill those obligations requires attorney guidance. The paralegal provides the document preparation, deadline tracking, and organizational support that makes the attorney's direction effective.

The Estate Administration Process

Probate opening. Filing the will for probate, petition for appointment of personal representative, issuance of Letters Testamentary — jurisdiction-specific forms and procedures.

Notice to creditors. Published notice in required publication, individual notice to known creditors — jurisdiction-specific requirements and timelines.

Asset inventory. Comprehensive inventory of all probate assets with valuation — required in most jurisdictions within a specified period after appointment.

Creditor claims. Review claims against the estate, flag for attorney evaluation of validity and priority.

Tax matters. Final income tax return, estate tax return if applicable (Form 706), coordinate with CPA or tax counsel — flag all deadlines.

Final distribution. Prepare distribution schedule per the will, obtain releases from beneficiaries, prepare final accounting if required.

Every step has jurisdiction-specific requirements. Probate forms, creditor notice publication requirements, inventory deadlines, accounting requirements — these vary by state and often by county. AI can orient you to the general framework; the specific requirements for your jurisdiction require verification against the current probate code and local court rules.

Ready-to-Use Prompts

Adapt these for your practice. Click Copy to paste into any AI tool.

Estate Administration Checklist Framework

Please help me develop an estate administration checklist framework for [state]. The checklist should cover: probate opening steps (filing requirements, petition, Letters Testamentary), notice to creditors (publication requirements, individual notice to known creditors, claim period), asset inventory (deadline from appointment, required contents, court filing requirements), tax matters (final income tax return, estate tax threshold and Form 706 if applicable, deadlines), and final distribution (distribution schedule, releases from beneficiaries, final accounting if required). Flag every step that requires verification against current [state] probate code and local court rules — I will verify before using this checklist.

Personal Representative Orientation Letter

I need to draft an orientation letter for the personal representative of an estate, for attorney review before transmission. The letter should explain: what the personal representative's role involves generally, the importance of working closely with the attorney throughout administration, the general sequence of administration steps, why deadlines matter, and what the personal representative should gather and bring to the first attorney meeting. The tone should be supportive and clear. The attorney will review and adapt before this goes to the personal representative.

Chapter Quiz

Estate Administration Support

5 questions — no limit on attempts.