What Happens if You Die Without a Will in Connecticut?
If there's no will, Connecticut steps in with its own formula for who inherits, based on marriage and family relationships. Here's how that formula works.
If You are Married with Children
In Connecticut, your spouse's share, alongside your children, depends on whether all of your children are also your spouse's children.
- If all of your children are also your spouse's children, your spouse inherits the first $100,000 of your estate, plus 1/2 of the remaining balance. Your children divide the remainder equally.
- If one or more of your children are not your spouse's children, your spouse receives 1/2 of your estate. All of your children share the other 1/2 in equal parts
If You are Married Without Children
Your spouse inherits your entire estate if you have no living parents. If you have living parents, your spouse inherits the first $100,000, plus 3/4 of the remaining balance, and your parents inherit the rest.
If You Don't Have a Spouse, but Have Children
Your children inherit all of your assets, divided equally.
If You Don't Have a Spouse or Children
Your parents inherit your estate. If neither parent survives, your siblings inherit next, followed by grandparents and other living relatives, however distant.
If No Living Relatives Can Be Found
Your property reverts to the state of Connecticut in the event that no living relatives can be located, which rarely happens. The state considers the burden of locating family to be a serious one and will conduct a broad search before abandoning those efforts.
Other Things to Know about Dying Without a Will in Connecticut
- Stepchildren may only inherit if they were legally adopted, and unmarried partners have no automatic inheritance rights.
- A surviving spouse can also claim a statutory share, typically a life estate in 1/3 of the estate, separate from the intestate share noted above.
- Connecticut is one of the few states with a state estate tax, which can apply to larger estates regardless of whether there's a will.
When Does an Estate Go Through Probate Without a Will
If a person dies without a will in Connecticut, your estate may still avoid full probate if the personal property is valued at $40,000 or less and there's no solely owned real estate. Larger estates go through the Probate Court in the district where you lived.
To learn more about probate in Connecticut, check out our article detailing the nuances of probate court.
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