What happens if someone dies without a will?
When someone dies without a will in Hawaii, their estate is distributed according to the laws of intestate succession. This means that the estate is distributed to the deceased’s closest relatives in a predetermined order. If the deceased is a surviving spouse of the deceased, then the surviving spouse will receive the entire estate. If there is no surviving spouse, then the estate will be distributed to the decedent’s children, and if there are no children, it will go to the deceased’s parents. If the deceased is not survived by any relatives, then the state of Hawaii will inherit the entire estate. The process of intestate succession can be complicated and time-consuming, as it requires the court to identify and locate all of the deceased’s relatives and determine their legal standing. In addition, the court must determine the exact nature of the estate and all of its assets before it is divided among the relatives. This process can be expensive and take a long time to resolve. By creating a will, a person can make sure their estate is divided according to their wishes. Without a will, the court will have to make decisions regarding the division of assets, and these decisions may not reflect the wishes of the deceased or their family. Therefore, it is always best to create a will in order to avoid any confusion or uncertainty about the division of assets.
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