Intestate: Definition, Risks and State Laws

Intestate refers to the situation where an individual passes away without a valid will in place, leaving their estate distribution subject to state intestacy laws. These laws dictate how assets are allocated among surviving family members, often favoring spouses and children, but varying widely depending on the state. Without a will, the probate court steps in to determine heirs and beneficiaries based on predetermined rules, which may not align with the deceased’s preferences. This can lead to potential disputes, delays, and unanticipated outcomes for those left behind. If you’re still putting together your financial and estate plan, consider consulting a financial advisor.

Intestate Definition

Intestate sounds like a complicated term but it has a very simple meaning: dying without a legal will in place. Alternately, intestacy can happen when a will exists but it’s declared invalid by the probate court.

Every state has different laws regarding what’s considered a legal will. For example, some states may allow video wills while others may not. Or there may be different laws regarding who can act as a witness to a will and the number of witnesses required to make it legally valid.

How Intestacy Works

If you pass away without a will, there’s a legal process that takes place to determine how your assets are handled. The probate court will appoint an administrator or executor to oversee your estate and this role involves several important steps.

First, the executor is responsible for creating a detailed inventory of your assets and their value. Next, they must determine what outstanding debts are owed by your estate. It’s the executor’s job to make sure any remaining debts are paid. This can be done by liquidating or selling assets from your estate.

Once your estate’s debts are paid, the executor or administrator distributes any remaining assets to your heirs. Since there was no will in place, this part of the process is done according to the inheritance laws in your state. It’s the administrator’s job to track down any and all heirs who may be legally entitled to part of your estate.

How Assets Are Distributed When You Die Intestate

When there’s no will or estate plan in place, asset distribution follows the order of intestate succession laid down in state law. The Uniform Probate Code serves as a guide for state laws and it includes some specific rules for determining how assets should be divvied up among heirs. Here are some examples within the Uniform Probate Code:

Close relatives take precedence over distant relatives.
Adopted descendants are treated the same as blood descendants.
Parties entitled to receive property or assets include spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Surviving spouses take precedence over other parties, including children of the deceased.
If there’s no surviving spouse, assets are distributed first to children or grandchildren, then parents, then other remaining relatives.
Friends, non-relatives and charities are not entitled to receive anything from your estate if you die intestate.

It’s worth noting that when there are no heirs to be found, all of the deceased person’s assets revert to the state. At that point, it’s up to the state to decide what to do with them.

Risks of Dying Intestate

The biggest risk of passing away without a legally valid will in place is that your wishes won’t be carried out with regard to your estate. For example, if you wanted each of your children to receive a specific share of your assets then you’d need to spell that out in a will. Otherwise, your spouse would likely receive most or all of the assets from your estate when you die.

That may not be an issue if you trust your spouse to divide those assets among your children according to your wishes. But if you want to have certainty that things will be divided the way you want, then having a will in place would be necessary.

Dying intestate also means you can’t prevent people from receiving assets from your estate. While you can’t use a will to legally deny a spouse their share of your assets, you could use a will to exclude other family members, including parents, siblings and adult children. If you specifically do not want any of those individuals to receive assets from your estate, you’d need a will in place. Otherwise, they could be entitled to something after you pass away under your state’s inheritance laws.

Another good reason for drafting a will is to name a legal guardian for your children. Without a will in place specifying who you’d like to care for your children if you (and your spouse) pass away. If you don’t have a will outlining who should care for your kids then it’s left to the state to appoint a legal guardian for them.

How to Avoid Intestacy

The easiest way to avoid dying intestate is to draft a legally valid will according to your state’s laws. Depending on how complex your estate is, you may want to work with an estate planning attorney to create your will document. But if you have a simpler estate, you could create a will online.

Again, every state has its own laws regarding what is a legal will and what isn’t. But generally, to be legal a will needs to meet these guidelines:

The person creating the will must be of legal adult age.
That person must have the intent to create a will.
They must also have testamentary capacity, which means being of sound mind.
The will can’t be created under duress.
It must spell out how the person wants their property and assets distributed.
The will must be signed and witnessed by the required number of witnesses.

With regard to witnesses, they typically must meet some of the same requirements as the testator. This is what the person making the will is called. For example, they’ll need to be legal adults and of sound mind. State laws typically prevent anyone from witnessing a will who has a financial interest in it. So if you’re leaving your baseball card collection to your brother you couldn’t ask him to witness your will.

Some states require you to file a copy of your will with the probate court or office. Again, an estate planning attorney can advise you on what you need to be done to make sure your will is valid. And it’s also a good idea to make multiple copies and keep one in a secure place, such as a safe deposit box at your bank.

Bottom Line

Dying intestate – without a will in place – can create problems for your loved ones. The state can and will step in to manage your assets according to inheritance laws. You can avoid this situation by taking steps to create a legally valid will. This means you can remain at ease knowing your family, children and spouse will be taken care. of

Estate Planning Tips

Consider talking to a financial advisor about putting together an estate plan that takes care of your family. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Investment accounts and life insurance policies that have named beneficiaries typically aren’t transferred via a will. Those assets would be passed on to the person you’ve named as a beneficiary. It’s important to review and update your beneficiary choices regularly. This is especially true if you experience a marriage, divorce, child birth or another life event.