Party A is a married man and dies without a will. How will Party A's property be distributed?

Full question:

Party A is a married man and dies without a will. How will Party A's property be distributed?

Answer:

In some jurisdictions, the spouse will inherit all of Party A's community property. Separate property that is not real estate will also go to the spouse. Half of the separate real estate will go to the spouse, one fourth to the mother, and one fourth to the father. If either parent is deceased, that parent's share will be inherited by Party A's siblings if they are living. If neither of the parents nor siblings (or their descendants) are living, the spouse will inherit all of Party A's separate real 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

When a husband dies without a will, his wife typically inherits all community property. For separate property, she generally receives all personal items but only half of any separate real estate. The remaining half of the real estate is divided among the husband's parents, with provisions for siblings if parents are deceased. If there are no surviving parents or siblings, the wife inherits all separate real estate.