What is inheritance law?
Inheritance law is a branch of law that focuses on how property and money are passed on from one generation to the next. In Washington, inheritance law dictates who can inherit from a relative who has passed away and how that property is divided up. When a relative passes away, the court will typically look at the relative’s will to see who is listed as an heir. The court will then work to ensure that the property and money are distributed according to the wishes of the deceased. In Washington, if there is no will, then the court will use a set of rules called inheritance statutes to decide who gets what. These rules vary from state to state and may include factors like blood relationship to the deceased, how recently the person was related, etc. Washington laws also require that creditors of the deceased must be paid from the estate before any heirs can receive anything. Inheritance law is a complex area of law, and it is important to understand all of the rules in your state to make sure the wishes of the deceased are carried out properly.
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