No Will – Intestacy

Passing away without a valid Will

If your loved one passes away without a Will, they are deemed to have passed away ‘intestate.’ Their estate is then distributed in accordance with the laws of intestacy in force at the date of your loved one’s death.

These rules operate without any regard to what your loved one’s wishes were. The beneficiaries of your loved one’s estate depend on whether your loved one was married, in a de facto relationship or had children at the date of his/her passing.

Proving you are entitled to the Estate

Because the beneficiaries will need to prove they are entitled to the Estate, the beneficiaries will need to obtain original vital documentation such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc including any relevant translation, as well as additional affidavits in regards to the deceased’s living arrangements and that the deceased did not have a de facto spouse (if the next-of-kin is not a de facto spouse).

The next-of-kin will also have to attest to the fact that s/he has done extensive searches to locate a possible Will. All of these things may prove more costly and time consuming than if a Will had been left by the deceased.

What we can do

In addition, the next-of-kin is generally required to also be the Supreme Court of Letters of Administration to be appointed as the Administrator of the Estate. This means that s/he is responsible for signing all the relevant paperwork and instructing a solicitor, if necessary. This may prove difficult or burdensome to the next-of-kin, especially if there are multiple persons entitled to inherit under the relevant statute. We therefore recommend that everyone make a Will expressing their wishes for the distribution of their Estate once they pass away, if for no other reason than to ease the burden on their loved ones.

If you believe that you would have been legally eligible and you were not properly provided for in a deceased’s estate then you may be able to make a Family Provision Claim.