eli5: What happens to the wealth of a rich person after they die unexpectedly without any spouse or heir and without a will
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This is a legal question, and just for future reference, legal questions are not really ideal for this sub because laws are different everywhere.
Dying without a will is called intestacy. In the United States, each state has its own intestacy laws that determine who gets the decedent’s property and in what shares if they did not have a will. It’s unclear what you mean by “heir” because that could mean just descendants or any family members. If the decedent has no descendants but has other living family such as siblings, parents, or cousins, the decedent’s property will go to them in share determined by state law. If the decedent truly has no living family, the property will be turned over to the state.
Goes to the state. Dying without a will is called dying “intestate”. The estate goes into probate with the probate court to determine where the money goes. There is a hierarchy that is usually used, starting with the spouse, then children, etc., but if there are no living relatives, the estate is given to the state
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