**Administrator with Will Annexed** (noun) — A person appointed by the court to administer a deceased estate when a valid will exists but the named executor is unable or unwilling to act, or no executor was appointed, with the administrator required to distribute the estate according to the terms of the will.
Sometimes there's a valid will, but the executor named in it can't or won't act—perhaps they've died, lack capacity, or simply decline the responsibility. The will's instructions are still valid; there's just no one officially appointed to carry them out.
In this situation, the court appoints an administrator with will annexed. This person follows the will's instructions, just as the original executor would have.
⏱ When you'll encounter this term
Usually a beneficiary or family member applies for this role. They receive a grant of letters of administration with will annexed—a mouthful of a name for a document that gives them authority to act.
This person has the same legal duties and powers as an executor. The key difference is simply how they came to the role: by court appointment rather than being named in the will.
**Related terms:** [Executor](/dictionary/executor), [Administrator](/dictionary/administrator), [Letters of Administration](/dictionary/letters-of-administration), [Probate](/dictionary/probate)
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"Mum's will named her brother as executor, but he'd died years before she did. We had to apply to court for letters of administration with will annexed, and my sister became administrator to carry out Mum's wishes."
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