Areas of Law · Rutherford PLLC
Estate Administration in San Antonio
Being named executor is an honor and a job. Estate administration is the work of carrying that job out correctly, on a deadline, and on the record.
The Executor’s Work
An executor, called a personal representative under Texas law, must locate assets, file an inventory, notify and pay creditors, handle taxes, and distribute what is left to the right people in the right shares. The Estates Code sets the order and the clock. The personal representative must file an inventory and appraisement of the estate’s property before the 91st day after qualifying, unless the court extends the time,1 and a complete list of claims due or owing to the estate is attached to that inventory and appraisement.2 Each step has its own rules and deadlines. Most executors get through this without trouble once they have guidance, because every step is laid out clearly. The firm helps you follow them in order so you stay protected.
Notice, Creditors, and Closing
Much of the early work is notice. Within 60 days after a will is admitted, the representative must give notice to each beneficiary named in the will,3 and within one month after receiving letters, the representative must publish a general notice to creditors.4 When an administration is dependent on the court and a creditor presents a claim, the representative must, within 30 days, file a memorandum allowing or rejecting that claim in whole or in part.5 Once the estate has been administered and the debts and distributions are handled, an independent executor may close the administration by filing a closing report or a notice of closing the estate.6 When there is no will, or when property was omitted from a will or no final disposition was made, a proceeding to declare heirship is authorized to establish who inherits before the estate moves forward.7 Rutherford PLLC gives you a checklist and a calendar, prepares the filings, and helps prevent avoidable mistakes. You make the decisions; the firm makes sure they hold up.
- First-time executors and administrators
- Family members managing a loved one’s estate
- Executors worried about personal liability
- Heirs of someone who died without a will
- Estates with property, a business, or multiple heirs
Common Questions
What if I have never been an executor before?
That is the norm. Rutherford PLLC guides you through every duty and deadline, including the inventory and the required notices, so the estate is administered correctly.
Can an executor be held personally responsible?
Yes, for certain errors. Proper administration and documentation are what protect you, and that is exactly what counsel provides.
How are debts and creditors handled?
There is a required process for notifying creditors and acting on valid claims in the right order before distributions. Rutherford PLLC manages it.
How long does estate administration take?
A straightforward independent administration typically takes about six to twelve months, since the law sets waiting periods for creditor notice and other steps. Estates with property to sell, a business, or a dispute take longer. The firm gives you a realistic timeline and a cost estimate up front.
Sources & Authorities
Statutes on this page link to their official sources. Provided for transparency and general information, not as legal advice.
- Tex. Estates Code § 309.051, Inventory and Appraisement (the personal representative must file an inventory and appraisement of estate property before the 91st day after qualifying, unless the court extends the time). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Estates Code § 309.052, List of Claims (a complete list of claims due or owing to the estate must be attached to the inventory and appraisement). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Estates Code § 308.002, Required Notice to Certain Beneficiaries After Probate of Will (within 60 days after a will is admitted, the representative must give notice to each beneficiary named in the will). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Estates Code § 308.051, Required Notice Regarding Presentment of Claims in General (within one month after receiving letters, the representative must publish a general notice to creditors). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Estates Code § 355.051, Allowance or Rejection of Claim (on a claim presented in a dependent administration, the representative must, within 30 days, file a memorandum allowing or rejecting the claim in whole or in part). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Estates Code § 405.004, Closing Independent Administration by Closing Report or Notice of Closing Estate (an independent executor may close the administration by filing a closing report or notice of closing once the estate has been administered). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Estates Code § 202.002, Circumstances Under Which Proceeding to Declare Heirship Is Authorized (a proceeding to declare heirship is authorized when a person dies intestate, or when property was omitted from a will or no final disposition was made). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- State Bar of Texas, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.01 (communications concerning a lawyer’s services). texasbar.com ↩
King William Law Center is a shared office for independent firms. This page is attorney advertising and general information, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Rutherford PLLC, not King William Law Center, provides the legal services described here. The practice of law in Texas is governed by the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.8 Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.