Dividing an Estate Without a Will in Bethesda

When dividing an estate without a will in Bethesda, the court will follow the laws of intestacy. These laws create an order of importance for beneficiaries to inherit from the estate. Therefore, it is important to consult a well-versed wills lawyer who can explain the process. A skilled attorney can be a guide throughout the process of dividing an estate to help it go as smoothly as possible.

What Does Dying Intestate Mean in Bethesda?

Dying intestate means that an individual died without leaving a last will and testament or without creating a last will and testament. It can also mean that they died with an invalid last will and testament, and the court has determined that because the will is invalid, the estate will be administered as an intestate estate.

Under state intestacy laws, there are certain designated people who will inherit from a person’s estate if there is no valid will. Who will inherit depends on the person’s surviving family members at the time that the decedent passed away. For example, if a person passed away and had a spouse but no children and whose parents were also predeceased, that person’s spouse would inherit the entirety of the estate.

Transferring an Estate

An estate is administered before any assets can be transferred or distributed to the beneficiaries of the estate. Essentially, this means the estate would have to go through the probate process in order to collect all the estate assets before eventually transferring them to the beneficiaries of the estate. An attorney can further explain the process of administering and transferring an estate in Bethesda without a will.

Administering Assets Without a Will

As stated above, the division of an estate among surviving family members depends on who is living at the time that the decedent has passed away. For example, if a person passed away with a surviving spouse and no children, the spouse would inherit everything.

However, if person does have a surviving spouse and also has surviving children, parents, and siblings, the estate would be divided among the surviving parties. Of course, the more living family members or children that the person has, the smaller the portions of the estate that everyone will receive.

In a situation where a decedent does not have a surviving spouse or surviving children, that person’s estate would be distributed to their parents. If their parents are no longer living, then the person’s estate would be distributed to their siblings. Again, depending on how many brothers and sisters that person had, that would either make the portions of the estate larger or smaller.

Discuss the Process of Dividing an Estate Without a Will in Bethesda

The process of dividing an estate without a will in Bethesda will depend on the specific circumstances. Generally, the process will follow the laws of intestacy which states how assets are distributed without a will. The specific division of assets will depend on surviving family members and beneficiaries. To discuss the process, call today for a consultation.