Intestacy occurs when someone dies without a will, leaving their estate to be distributed according to probate court ...

If you die without a will, your assets will be distributed according to the laws of your state, known as intestacy laws.

Probate Initiation: An interested party, often a family member or creditor, petitions the probate court to open an intestate estate. Appointment of Administrator: The court appoints an administrator ...

When new clients come to our office asking us to prepare wills for them, the vast majority come in already knowing to whom they wish to leave their assets at death (the ones that don't know often ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Matthew F. Erskine is a trusts and estates attorney. A common misconception is that the absence of a will is a problem. In reality ...

The case of Zappos owner Tony Hsieh, the late billionaire who was initially believed to have died intestate, without a valid will, took an unexpected turn when an apparent original will surfaced years ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Marguerita is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor ...