Who can file a claim for an intestate estate?

When someone dies without a will in the state of Washington, the person’s estate is said to have passed through “intestate succession”. According to Washington’s intestate succession laws, the deceased person’s estate is distributed equally among his or her surviving family members. In these cases, anyone with a claim to the estate may file a claim with the court. These family members may include spouses, children, parents, siblings, or any other relative who may be entitled to benefit from the intestate estate. In cases where the deceased person has no living family, or no family members with any claim to the estate, the estate may be claimed by the state. When filing a claim for an intestate estate, the claimant must provide evidence of their relationship to the deceased to the court, typically in the form of birth certificates, adoption papers, or marriage licenses. Additionally, the claimant must provide proof of the deceased person’s death, usually in the form of a death certificate. It is important to note that filing a claim for an intestate estate is a complex legal process, and should not be taken lightly. In some cases, claimants may wish to hire a lawyer to help navigate the legal system and maximize their chances of collecting the inheritance they are owed.

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Who can file a claim for an intestate estate?

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