What are the rights of a surviving spouse?
In the state of Washington, a surviving spouse has certain rights in relation to inheritance law. These rights vary depending on the type of legal relationship the couple had prior to the passing of the deceased spouse. Generally, the rights of a surviving spouse include the right to receive a share of the estate of their deceased spouse. For a surviving spouse in a marital relationship, the right to inherit includes both intestate (without a will) and testate (with a will) succession. Intestate succession is when a person dies without a valid will, and in this case the surviving spouse is entitled to inherit a substantial portion of the estate. Testate succession is when a valid will is in place and the surviving spouse is usually entitled to a share of the estate as defined by the will. In addition, a surviving spouse in Washington may have the right to spousal maintenance, which is a court-ordered arrangement requiring an estate to make payments to a surviving spouse for their support. A surviving spouse may also have the right to accept or reject an inheritance as defined in the will of the deceased spouse. Overall, a surviving spouse in Washington has certain rights in relation to inheritance law. These rights include the right to receive a share of the estate, the right to spousal maintenance, and the right to accept or reject an inheritance.
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