Interesting Facts: Dying With No Will In Utah

Utah is a place where even without a will, rules of inheritance and interstate laws are very clear cut.  

If you’ve been worrying over your will or need to have it updated, now is always the best time to do so. You just never know what may happen and being prepared can save your inheritors and family a lot of trouble.  

However, there are instances when a will is not left. So, what does that mean for Utahns? 

Estates with no valid will are called interstates.  

When there is no will recognized by the state, the estate then follows interstate succession laws, Smart Asset said. The state (Utah) then designates a representative to give out and divide up the estate.  

Dying With No Descendants 

If you die before your spouse but have no children or descendants, under Utah law, the spouse will inherit everything. This is also true if all your descendants are from your current spouse.  

Dying With Kids and A Spouse 

Under Utah inheritance laws, how the estate is divided depends on three things; whether you are married, number of children, and if your spouse is the parent of your children. If you have descendants from a previous marriage or grandchildren, they will receive some of the estate.  

In this case, the first $75,000 of the estate goes to your spouse at the time of death, former spouses are not included.  

Children who have been adopted and legally recognized by the state are also included in getting a portion of the estate.

Dying With No Spouse or Kids 

In Utah, when someone dies without a spouse or kids, the state first looks at the parents and then if there are no surviving parents, to the siblings.