Be aware of the "Inheritance" (Intestate Distribution) rules
If you die with a
Last Will, it means that you died "Testate"
If you die without a Last Will, it means that you died "Intestate"
If you die Intestate, your Assets
(that do not pass to the surviving joint owners, via Property Law, or to the designated beneficiaries, via Contract Law),
will pass in accordance with the Intestate Laws.
Intestate Examples
If you die Intestate leaving a spouse and children, all of whom are children of your spouse, the Intestate Laws state that your surviving spouse receives the first $30,000.00 plus one half of the balance of your estate, and your children will receive the remainder of your estate equally. If you die Intestate leaving neither a spouse nor children, your estate will pass to your parents, if your parents are alive; otherwise your estate will pass to your siblings.
John B. Whalen, Jr., J.D., LL.M. is an
AV Peer Review Attorney and Counselor at Law and a member of the
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He has had his legal articles published on the Martindale.Com website and his law blogs published on the Lawyers.Com website.
John concentrates his legal practice solely in the areas of
Estate Law,
Estate Planning,
Estate Administration,
Executor Representation,
Probate, Ancillary Probate,
Last Wills, Decedents Estates,
Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Trust Law,
Living Wills,
Fiduciary Law,
Inheritance,
Inheritance Tax, Trusts and Estates, Trust Administration, Cemetery Law, Tax Law, Estates Taxation, and
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples.
John serves, and has served, individuals and attorneys in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Metropolitan Area (and throughout the country), including Chester County Pa, Delaware County Pa, Lancaster County Pa, Montgomery County Pa, and Philadelphia County Pa.
John has served clients in Ambler Pa, in Ardmore Pa, in Aston Pa, in Berwyn Pa, in Blue Bell Pa, in Bridgeport Pa, in Broomall Pa, in Bryn Mawr Pa, in Chadds Ford Pa, in Chesterbrook Pa, in Chester Heights Pa, in Chester Springs Pa, in Coatesville Pa, in Collegeville Pa, in Conshohocken Pa, in Devon Pa, in Downingtown Pa, in Drexel Hill Pa, in Eagleville Pa, in Easttown Pa, in Elkins Park Pa, in Exton Pa, in Frazer Pa, in Great Valley Pa, in Haverford Pa, in Havertown Pa, in Jeffersonville Pa, in Kennett Square Pa, in King of Prussia Pa, in Lansdale Pa, in Limerick Pa, in Linfield Pa, in Linwood Pa, in Lower Merion Pa, in Malvern Pa, in Media Pa, in Narberth Pa, in Newtown Square Pa, in Norristown Pa, in Oaks Pa, in Overbrook Pa, in Paoli Pa, in Parkesburg Pa, in Phoenixville Pa, in Plymouth Meeting Pa, in Pottstown Pa, in Radnor Pa, in Ridley Park Pa, in Rosemont Pa, in St. Davids Pa, in Springfield Pa, in Strafford Pa, in Swarthmore Pa, in Thorndale Pa, in Tredyffrin Pa, in Trooper Pa, in Upper Merion Pa, in Valley Forge Pa, in Villanova Pa, in Wayne Pa, in West Chester Pa, in Westtown Pa, in Whitemarsh Pa, in Willistown Pa, in Wynnewood Pa, and in Yeadon Pa.