When an individual dies testate, it means that he or she had a valid will in place. If there is no will in place, the individual is considered to have died intestate.
There are special terms used when discussing wills and estates. A few of the most important terms are defined below.
Testator – an individual who has made a will. Certain requirements must be met. These are discussed below.
Will – a document specifying the testator’s wishes …
Intestate succession refers to how property is passed along when a person dies without a will. Whereas a person who dies with a will is usually called a “testator,” a person who dies intestate is often called by the more general term “decedent.” The decedent’s property that will pass by intestate succession is called the “decedent’s estate.”
Each state’s laws provide a plan for how the estate is divided up among the living heirs in the event that the decedent …
