If you figure without conformation a Will in the UK, the define consign move who gets what and how much, whence those who you would yen to benefit may get far less than you hoped.

Your estate (your property and all belongings) are frozen and become subject to the law of intestacy. You are said to have died 'intestate', meaning everything you own will be valued, tax paid at 40% if worth more than 275,000 (as at August 2005) and then shared out to your surviving spouse or relatives or given to the state if you don't have any.

The problem with this is that neither you or your family will have any say in the matter if you didn't make a Will. The beneficiaries and the share they receive will be decided by the state and the whole process can takes months or even years because you didn't take the time to make a Will.

Whilst the law and complete strangers decide how your belongings are shared, your surviving spouse or partner has all the usual household and living expenses to pay. If you are the main breadwinner they will probably be on a reduced income. Your surviving spouse or partner may not have access to money, she or he would normally have a right to if you had made a Will, because the assets could be frozen until all the formalities have been sorted out. If you have got a valid Last Will and testament it should take no longer than three months to complete the legal process and release your assets to the people who you chose.

So Who Gets What if You Die Without Making a Will?

When someone dies without making a Will or Last Will and Testament, their estate (all their property and belongings) are distributed according to the law of intestacy. This is where, in effect, the state writes your Will for you and is most likely not to meet your wishes. The following outlines the basic rules that decides who gets what:

If you are married at the time of your death
Your spouse leave work out apparatus if you homeless less than 125,000. If fresh than 125,000 is lone but you jilt no children, parents or siblings, then your spouse will still get everything.

If you are married with children at the time of your death
If you scheme outset a spouse and children, accordingly your spouse cede solve the blessing 125,000 and your discriminative effects. The remainder is divided as follows: your spouse gets a life interest in half and the other half is divided between your children. A life interest means that your spouse is entitled to the income on that half for their lifetime and on their death it will automatically pass to your children.

If you are married without children but have parents or siblings
If you design with no children, but have continuing parents or siblings, ergo your spouse gets the peak 200,000 faith individualistic effects and the remainder is divided two ways. Your spouse leave get half and the other half goes to your parents. If your parents have pre-deceased you, this share is divided between your siblings.

If you are not married at the time of you death

Notes:
When using the impart 'children' this includes illegitimate and adopted family but not step-children (unless legally adopted). Joint property recurrently passes to the permanent abode owner.

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