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What happens to someone's property who dies with no will and no heirs?

What happens to someone's property who dies with no will and no heirs?

Q: Who inherits if a person dies without a will and has no children?

If a person dies without a will and has no children, their property typically goes to their parents. If both parents are deceased, the estate may be divided among siblings or, if they are also deceased, the descendants of those siblings.

Q: What if both parents are deceased when someone dies without a will?

If both parents are deceased, the deceased person's property usually goes to their siblings. If a sibling has passed away, that sibling's share may go to their children, or if they have no children, it will be shared among the remaining siblings.

Q: Do grandparents inherit if their grandchild dies without a will?

Yes, if a grandchild dies without a will and there are no surviving parents or siblings, the grandparents may inherit the estate. If a grandparent is also deceased, the property would then go to their descendants, such as aunts, uncles, or cousins.

Q: What happens to a deceased person's estate if there are no relatives?

If a deceased person has no living relatives, their estate may escheat to the state. This means the state takes ownership of the property after a thorough search for any potential heirs has been conducted.

Full question:

Party A dies without a will, and is single and has no children. What will happen to Party A's property?

Category: Wills and Estates
Date: 04/07/2025
State: Alabama

Answer:

In some states, Party A's father will inherit half of the property, and Party A's mother will inherit the other half. If either parent is deceased, the siblings will inherit that parent's share. If a sibling is deceased but has left a child (niece or nephew), that child will inherit its parent's share, and so on. If a sibling is deceased and has left no children, the surviving siblings will take that sibling's share. If neither parent nor any of their descendants are living, the grandparents will inherit the estate equally. If either grandparent has died, their descendants (aunts, uncles, and cousins) will inherit the estate.

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

What happens to property if someone dies without a will?

If someone dies without a will, their property is distributed according to state intestacy laws. Generally, this means the estate goes to the closest relatives, starting with parents, then siblings, and further down the family tree if necessary. Each state has specific rules about how property is divided among heirs.