Things that Will Happen When Someone Dies without a Will
Death as well as tax are the only certain things in the world. Despite the fact that taxes are paid annually, a majority of people fail to plan themselves well. The fear for death can be a major reason for unpreparedness. According to a survey report here, majority of Americans do not plan for even their estate before death. After their deaths, their properties are left without no sense of direction. Here are some of the hints of what happens to the deceased when they don’t write their will.
The physical residence of people will determine what happens to their wealth when they die. Such a person is often termed to have died intestate. The possessions of such a party is often left under the watch of a probate court. You should read more here to establish what the law states regarding this kind of property. Laws governing such cases varies from one state to the other.
The next hint that dictates what happens when people die without leaving a will depends on where he or she lived. The size of the estate left behind determines the severity of the law over this issue. For example, small estates fall in the category of people who died without any property and their total possessions is usually less than $100,000. The scenario is true especially to senior people in the society who may have spent their possessions on medical bills. A similar scenario is also true to a young citizen who may have not accumulated any wealth. It is essential to note that law is clear that the remaining family members file a declaration claiming this property for use. The claimant of the deceased’s possession is supposed to produce an affidavit that states their relationship before they can access the property for use. The entire process of dealing with cases of people who die and leave homes and other assets whose worth exceeds $100,000 becomes complex as explained on this website.
The survivors are another determinant of what happens when a person dies without a will. The legal procedures which are applied here will be determined based on whether the person left behind a wife, domestic partner or a number of surviving children. What is usually used here to subdivide this property is the law of hierarchy. In short, the entire property will be handed over to the spouse. If the spouse is not there, children will take over the property and so forth. It is worth reading to discover more how the law applies in the relationship hierarchy of the deceased person. You may continue reading here and learn more.