What Happens if You Die Without a Will in Wyoming?
If there's no will, Wyoming has established rules for determining who inherits from your estate. Those are based on marriage and family relationships. We’ll break down how that formula works below. Wyoming keeps this simpler than most states, without carving out separate rules for blended families.
If You are Married with Children
Your spouse inherits 1/2 of your estate, and your children inherit the other 1/2, regardless of whether your children are also your spouse's.
If You are Married Without Children
Your spouse inherits your entire estate.
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.
If No Living Relatives Can Be Found
When no living relatives can be located, your property reverts to the state of Wyoming. This only happens rarely given how broadly the law searches for relatives first.
Other Things to Know about Dying Without a Will in Wyoming
- Dower and curtesy, older legal concepts that once shaped a spouse's automatic property rights, have been abolished in Wyoming, so the statutory shares above are what actually control.
- Stepchildren aren’t generally considered for inheritance unless legally adopted.
- Wyoming has one of the highest small estate thresholds in the country, so many families can settle an estate without a courtroom at all.
When Does an Estate Go Through Probate Without a Will
If you die without a will in Wyoming, your estate may still avoid formal probate if the personal property is valued at $400,000 or less, using a simple affidavit 30 days after death, with no court proceeding required. Larger estates go through the District Court, either as a Summary Distribution for estates that still qualify for a simplified process, or as standard court-supervised probate.
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