Plain-language meaning
The responsible state's law determines the eligible relatives and shares after the relevant family relationships and property are established.
What the term does not establish
It does not govern every asset a person owned and does not mean the state automatically receives the estate.
Why it matters in estate settlement
The word can affect how a person reads a form, will, account request, inventory, claim, or court explanation. It should be used in the context of the governing document, the property involved, and the responsible jurisdiction—not as a shortcut to a legal result.
Example
A probate account without a controlling will provision may follow intestate succession, while a valid payable-on-death account follows its beneficiary record.
Continue to the subject owner
This is a definition page, not a competing guide. Work through the no-will estate pathway for the complete decision, evidence, stop conditions, and next actions.
Related terms
- Heir — Heir is a legal relationship created by state succession rules; it is not simply another word for relative or beneficiary.
- Decedent — When a form asks for the decedent, it means the person whose estate is involved—not the executor, beneficiary, or person completing the form.
- Personal representative — It is an umbrella term for the person handling the estate in an authorized capacity.
Official orientation
Terminology is checked against official court and federal estate-administration explanations, including California Courts probate terms, New York Courts guidance on estate fiduciaries, and IRS Publication 559. The controlling meaning may still depend on the jurisdiction and document.