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

If someone in North Carolina passes away without a valid will, they are said to have died “intestate.” When this happens, their estate becomes subject to North Carolina’s intestate succession laws. These laws govern how an estate is divided when there are no surviving relatives of the person who died. In such cases, the intestate estate is divided and distributed in a manner determined by North Carolina law. First, the state pays off any outstanding claims against the estate, such as debts or taxes. Then, any remaining funds are given to the decedent’s closest living relative. This could be a spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, or other related party. If there are no relatives available to receive the estate, then the state is the beneficiary. The state may be able to make a claim to the property, money, and other assets left behind by the deceased. This claim is typically made by the North Carolina Department of Revenue and/or the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. In the unlikely event that the intestate estate is still not distributed after all claims and relatives have been exhausted, the remaining assets are forfeited to the state. The state may then use the funds for any number of public purposes, such as schools or public parks. In short, if there are no surviving relatives in an intestate estate, the property, money, and other assets will be distributed in the order specified by North Carolina law. All claims must be paid first, then the closest living relative is usually granted the remaining funds. If no such person exists, then the state is the beneficiary of the funds.

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

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