What Happens if You Die Without a Will?

Distribution of Assets Without a Will in Massachusetts

If you do not have a will, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will distribute your assets according to a set of laws called intestacy laws. These are meant to do what the legislature thinks most families would want.

Specifically, if you are married and all of your children are also your spouse's children, the assets will distribute to your spouse. If you are not married and you have children, all of your assets will distribute to your children.

If you are married but either you or sour spouse have children from another marriage or relationship, assets will be divided between your spouse and your children. If you are unmarried and have no children, the court looks first to your parents, and then to siblings if your parents are not alive, and then to more distant relatives if you have no living siblings.

Even if this sounds like what you would want, there are many goals that you won't be able to accomplish without at least a simple estate plan in place.

Learn more here about dying without a will in Massachusetts.