What happens if someone dies without a will?

If someone dies without a valid will, California intestate succession laws determine who inherits the estate based on the decedent’s family relationships. The court appoints an administrator to handle the estate, and that person assumes responsibilities similar to those of an executor.

In blended family situations, intestate succession can produce results very different from what the deceased person may actually have intended.

 

Philip J. Kavesh
Helping clients with customized estate planning guidance and trust & estate administration for over 45 years.