Understanding all about Letter of administration

Posted by shanekabuttler on July 14th, 2015

Before, understanding about the Letter of administrator, it is important to understand the situation at which these letters are needed. This article will help you understand all about the letter of administration in a broad prospective.

Firstly, you need to understand that if a property has been left behind by a deceased in your family, then it is supposed to be dealt by the personal representative of that deceased member. It is their executors and administrators who will be representing their case. In cases where the deceased dies without leaving any will, then an administrator needs to be hired. As for executors, they only come into the scene where the deceased has left behind a valid will before his/her death.

Secondly, you need to understand about the letters of administration. Now, when a person passes away without leaving a will, then the next of  kith and kin can make a court application for the grants of letters of administration. As per this letter the court has authorized a person to be  appointed as the administrator to administer the estate and distribute the assets in accordance with the Singapore’s laws.

Moreover, it is crucial to understand about the administrator. The court is empowered to appoint whoever it thinks ought to be granted the letters of administration. This also depends classes of beneficiaries under the Intestate Succession Act. According to this act, it sets out seven classes of persons who, in descending order of priority, are entitled to apply for a grant. This includes the spouse, the children of the deceased, the parents, brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, grandparents, uncles and aunts.

Further, if one or more beneficiary is below 21, then at least two of the administrators must be appointed. Also, the bankrupts and infants are not supposed to be appointed as administrators. In cases where a person has entitled their grant to an infant, then such a grant will be made to his guardian, or if he had attained the age of 16 years to any next of kin that the infant may nominate.

Finally, it is important to understand who can apply for these letters of administration. Only the persons with larger shares will first have the right to apply for a grant in comparison to persons with smaller shares. The reason behind this is that the person with the larger share will have a greater interest in seeing that the estate is properly administered. In cases where different persons are entitled to equal shares of the estate, both will have an equal right.