What happens to assets if named heirs are deceased?

Full question:

In the case of a will, if named heirs are deceased, do the assets go to the children of the heirs, or are the assets divided among the remaining living heirs?

Answer:

According to SEC. 91-5-7, if a beneficiary named in a will dies before the testator (the person who made the will), and they have children or descendants, the assets do not lapse. Instead, those assets will go to the deceased beneficiary's children or descendants as if the beneficiary had survived the testator. However, if the deceased beneficiary is not a child or descendant of the testator, the bequest will lapse and the assets will be distributed according to the residuary clause in the will.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

In general, children are often expected to inherit equally unless the will specifies otherwise. If a will does not address this, state laws typically favor equal distribution among children. However, if one child predeceases the testator and has descendants, those descendants may inherit their parent's share, depending on the will's provisions and state law.