What word means that a Virginia property owner died without a will?

intestate
What Is a Will? If your spouse or parent dies without a Will, Virginia law determines who will inherit his or her property. These laws, called intestacy laws, are essentially state-written Willls that determine who gets the decedent’s property. The word “intestate” describes a person who dies without a will.

What are the rules for intestate succession in Virginia?

To inherit under Virginia’s intestate succession statutes, a person must outlive you by 120 hours. So if you and your brother are in a car accident and he dies a few hours after you do, his estate would not receive any of your property. (Virginia Code § 64.2-2201.)

What happens to intestate property if no surviving family members?

If you pass away with no surviving family members, your intestate property will go to the state. With that said, it’s rare that this happens because intestate succession usually finds a family descendant to inherit your estate. What about half-relatives?

How does inheritance work in the state of Virginia?

If you have neither a spouse nor children at the time of your death, your estate will be distributed accordingly: In cases where a decedent has no surviving heirs, ownership of their estate is transferred to the Commonwealth of Virginia (known as “escheatment”).

What happens if you die without a will in Virginia?

If you die without a will in Virginia, your children will receive an “intestate share” of your property. The size of each child’s share depends on how many children you have, whether or not you are married, and whether your spouse is also your children’s parent. (See the table above.)

What happens to the estate of a deceased person in Virginia?

If the deceased individual has living children, but no spouse, the estate will be divided amongst the children. In very rare cases where the succession process doesn’t turn up any family members, the estate will go to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

What happens to intestate property in West Virginia?

The Spouse’s Share in West Virginia In West Virginia, if you are married and you die without a will, what your spouse gets depends on whether or not you have living descendants — children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren. If you don’t, then your spouse inherits all of your intestate property.