SeaTac Estate Administration Guidance
Estate administration is the process of identifying a deceased person’s assets, paying valid debts, and transferring property to heirs and beneficiaries in SeaTac. It often overlaps with probate, but may also include handling non-probate assets, trust administration, and coordination with financial institutions and title companies.
Whether there is a will or not, estate administration typically involves appointing a personal representative (sometimes called an executor), gathering information about assets and liabilities, providing required notices, addressing creditor claims, and preparing a clear accounting before final distributions.
Common estate administration issues include real estate transfers, beneficiary disputes, unclear asset ownership, digital accounts, small business interests, and estates that include a trust (such as a revocable living trust). Each of these situations can affect timelines, documentation, and court requirements.
Because personal representatives have fiduciary duties, careful compliance helps reduce the risk of delays, conflicts, and personal liability. When questions arise, experienced legal guidance can help you complete required steps efficiently and with confidence.
Learn the Estate Administration Steps Before You Start
Our experimental legal guidance chatbot provides general educational information about Washington estate administration, probate procedures, personal representative duties, creditor claims, and common questions about distributing assets.
Use it to get oriented, then schedule a consultation with Ruth for personalized legal guidance based on your specific situation.
Disclaimer: The chatbot provides general information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Individual circumstances require personalized legal advice.
About Ruth
Ruth Apahidean is a trusts and estates attorney at the Law Office of Neil R. Sarles. Her practice focuses on elder law, estate planning, and probate. She helps individuals and families plan for the management and transfer of their assets during life and after death.
This includes creating wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. She assists clients decide how assets should be distributed, who will make financial or medical decisions if the client becomes incapacitated, and how to protect beneficiaries such as minor children or family members with special needs.
Ruth guides individuals and families through the probate process (the court-supervised procedure used to settle a person’s estate after death). Her primary role is to assist the personal representative ensure that the deceased person’s assets are distributed according to a valid will or, if no will exists, in accordance with state law.
She has volunteered at Neighborhood Legal Clinics: Elder Law Clinic, the Washington First Responder Will Clinic, and Tacomaprobono Community Lawyers. Ruth is the Bar Talk Columnist for the King County Bar Association Bar Bulletin and the New Lawyer Liaison for the Washington State Bar Association Senior Lawyers Section.
Learn more about Ruth at https://www.sarles.com/.
Education:
- J.D., University of Washington School of Law
- B.A., History and English, University of Washington, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions:
- U.S. District Courts: Western District of Washington
- All Washington State Courts
Memberships:
- King County Bar Association
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or want to schedule a meeting, you can reach Ruth directly by email at ruth@sarles.com or using the form below.