Dying without a will
When a person dies with out leaving a will they are said to die “intestate”. The rules of intestacy depend on your circumstances. How would this effect you?
Married with children
- Spouse gets the first £125,000 plus any personal possessions.
- Half the remainder goes to the children at age 18 or earlier marriage.
- The other half goes to the children on the surviving spouse’s death. In the meantime it is placed in trust for spouse's lifetime with access to the income only.
Married with no children – but with parents, brothers or sisters of the whole blood, nephew or nieces
- Spouse gets the first £200,000 plus any personal possessions.
- Half the remainder goes to spouse
- The other half goes to the parents - If no parents living then it goes to brothers or sisters or their children.
Married person, no parents, no brothers or sisters of the whole blood, no nephew or nieces
- Spouse takes whole estate.
Unmarried person with children
- Estate goes to children at 18 or earlier marriage.
Unmarried person with no children
- Estate goes to parents.
- If no parents, then to brothers and sisters of the whole blood or their children.
- Failing that to brothers and sisters of the half blood or their issue.
- Failing that, to grandparents.
- Failing that, to uncles and aunts of the whole blood or their children.
- Failing that, to uncles and aunts of the half blood or their children.
- Failing all that the estate goes to the Crown!!
