How is an intestate estate divided if there are no surviving relatives?

In Minnesota, if an intestate estate (an estate without a will or written instructions from the deceased) has no surviving relatives, the estate is divided amongst certain state agencies and the state itself. These state agencies include the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University, the Minnesota Historical Society, the state general fund, and the Minnesota medical and healthcare programs. Each of these agencies, as well as the state itself, receives a portion of the estate that would have gone to any surviving relatives. The University of Minnesota receives the bulk of the estate, receiving two-thirds of the total value. This is followed by Minnesota State University which receives one-third of the total value, split by equal parts to be used for academic, research, and student life programs at the University. The remainder of the estate is split among the Minnesota Historical Society, the state general fund, and the Minnesota medical and healthcare programs. The Minnesota Historical Society receives a sixth of the estate, to be used for preservation of the state’s historical records. The state general fund then receives an eighth of the estate for use in the state’s operating funds. Finally, the Minnesota medical and healthcare programs receive a twelfth of the estate to be used for medical research and improvement of medical services in the state. When no surviving relatives of an intestate estate exist in Minnesota, the estate is divided amongst the state and several state agencies. This ensures that the deceased’s funds are used for the benefit of the public at large, rather than simply disappearing with no recipient.

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How is an intestate estate divided if there are no surviving relatives?

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