If a person just passed but had no Will or children, how is their estate distributed?
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If a person just passed but had no Will or children, how is their estate distributed?
They have 2 living brother and a deceased sister. The deceased sister has children still living. Are the children in titled to some of the money?
Asked on September 8, 2015 under Estate Planning, California
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
Since there is no Will, the rules of intestate succession determine inheritance. Intestate means dying without a Will.
Under intestate succession, if the decedent had a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse inherits the entire estate. If there wasn't any surviving spouse and no children, the decedent's parents would inherit the estate. If there are no surviving parents, then the two living brothers and the children of the deceased sister would inherit as follows Each brother would receive 1/3 of the estate. The children of the deceased sister would inherit the deceased sister's 1/3. The number of children of the deceased sister will determine how much of the deceased sister's share each of her children inherit. For example, if there are two children, each inherits 1/6 because 1/6 + 1/6 = 2/6= 1/3. If the deceased sister had any deceased children who had children, those children inherit the share their deceased parent would have inherited had the deceased parent survived.
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