What is intestate succession law?

Intestate succession law is the set of laws that govern what happens to a person’s property after they die if they have not created a will. Without a will, it is up to the state to decide how a person’s assets and property will be divided. In Georgia, the state legislature passed the Georgia Intestate Succession Law to articulate the protocol for handling intestate estates. Under Georgia Intestate Succession Law, the law will determine how a person’s assets and property will pass to their beneficiaries. Generally, the law states that the estate will be divided among the person’s closest living relatives according to how closely they are related. For example, the assets will first go to the spouse, then to the children, and then to the parents. If the deceased person did not have any survivors, then their assets will go to their brothers and sisters, or to their closest living relative. In some cases, if the deceased person does not have any living relatives, their estate will pass to the state. This is known as the escheatment process and it is typically used in cases where there are no legal heirs. To sum up, intestate succession law is the body of laws that determine how a person’s property and assets will be divided if they do not have a will. In Georgia, this law is outlined by the Georgia Intestate Succession Law. This law states that a deceased person’s assets will go to their closest living relatives, in order of how closely related they are. If the person does not have any known heirs, their estate will be passed to the state.

Related FAQs

How is an intestate estate divided among the surviving heirs?
What happens to the surviving spouse in an intestate estate?
Are there any restrictions on who can receive assets from an intestate estate?
What taxes and expenses must be paid out of an intestate estate?
How does intestate succession work when there are multiple children?
What property is subject to intestate succession?
How is the value of an intestate estate determined?
How do state laws of intestacy apply to domestic partners?
Can an intestate estate be divided among more than one heir?
Does a surviving spouse have any rights to an intestate estate when there is a will?

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