Plain-language meaning
A residuary clause answers who receives the remaining estate rather than listing every remaining item individually.
What the term does not establish
It does not automatically include property that passes by beneficiary designation, survivorship, trust, or another non-will transfer route.
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
After a specific cash gift and valid estate expenses are addressed, the property still controlled by the will may pass under its residuary clause.
Continue to the subject owner
This is a definition page, not a competing guide. See where distribution fits in the settlement sequence for the complete decision, evidence, stop conditions, and next actions.
Related terms
- Devisee — The word points to a gift made through a will, while heir points to inheritance under intestacy law.
- Estate accounting — It explains what entered the representative's control, what changed, what was paid or distributed, and what remains.
- Creditor claim — A bill or collection letter can be evidence of a claimed debt, but it is not automatically a correctly filed or correctly prioritized estate claim.
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.