FL - Wills Flashcards
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Definitions
Per Stirpes (Strict) “BY THE ROOTS”
Descendants take by representation the share that the deceased person would have taken had he survived to be an heir.
in FL, ALWAYS PER STIRPES
In FL, ALWAYS DETERMINED AT FIRST GENERATIONAL LEVEL, even if no living takers are at that level.
EXAMPLE 1
W (Dead) S1(1/3) S2(1/3) D1(Dead) GC1(1/9) GC2(1/9) GC3(1/9)
**Had daughter survived W, there would have been a per capita (“by the head) distribution, each child of W would take 1/3. Because the daughter predeceased W the 1/3 share that would have passed to her goes by representation to her 3 children, who take 1/9. **
EXAMPLE 2
J (Bro-Dead)——D (Dead)—–H(Sis-Dead)——-W(Bro-Dead)
| | |
J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 H1 H2 H3 W1 W2
(J’s Kids 1/15 Each) (H’s Kids 1/9 each) ( W’s Kids 1/6 each)
**JDHW are at same level, each received 1/3 of D’s estate. **
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Share of Surviving Spouse
Surviving Descendants are ALL Descendants of Surviving Spouse — ENTIRE ESTATE
If the decedent is survived by a spouse and descendants, all of whom are also descendants of the surviving spouse (children grandchildren of 1 marriage), and the surviving spouse has no other descendants, the survive spouse takes the ENTIRE INTESTATE ESTATE
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Share of Surviving Spouse
NOT ALL Surviving Descendants are Descendants of Surviving Spouse — ONE HALF
IF the decedent is survived by 1 or more children or more remote descendants who are not the descendants of the surviving spouse (children or grandchildren of prior marriage), the surviving spouse takes ONE HALF of the estate and the other one half passes to the descendants PER STIRPES.
EXAMPLE
------------ W (DEAD)---------------H | | A B C
W has a child (A) by her prior marriage, which ended in divorce. W Marries H and has 2 children, B and C. H does not adopt A. W dies intestate and is survived by H and 3 children. H takes 1/2 of estate, and the other 1/2 is divided between the 3 children.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Share of Surviving Spouse
Effect of Divorce or Legal Separation on Right to Inherit
The right of a spouse to inherit from the estate of the other spouse is conditioned on the existence of the marital relationship at the time of the decedent’s death.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Share of Surviving Spouse
Effect of Divorce or Legal Separation on Right to Inherit
Divorce – No Longer Surviving Spouse
If the parties are divorced before the decedent’s death, the marriage relation is severed and the parties are treated as strangers for purposes of descent and distribution
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Share of Surviving Spouse
Effect of Divorce or Legal Separation on Right to Inherit
Legal Separation – Estranged Spouse and Inherit
A legal separation does NOT sever the marital relationship and is insufficient to deprive a spouse of the right to inherit, regardless of the length of the separation.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
The portion of the estate that does not pass to the surviving spouse or the entire estate if the decedent left no surviving spouse, passes in the following manner
Portion Not Passing to Spouse Passes to Descendents
If No Descendants, to Parents of Surviving Parents
If no Descendeants or parents, to Brothers and Sisters and Their Descendants
If No descendants, to parents or descendants of parents
(i) to grandparents or surviving grandparent (ii) if no grandparents, to descendants of grandparents, per stirpes (iii) if no grandparents or their descendants on maternal side, to grandparents or descendants on patternal side (and Vice Versa)
If no grandparents or their descendants, to kindred of last deceased spouse
If none of the above, escheat to the state
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
Portion Not Passing to Spouse Passes to Descendents
The portion of the estate that does not pass to the surviving spouse passes to the decedents descendants. These descendants take PER STIRPES
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If No Descendants, to Parents or Surviving Parents
If the decedent was not survived by descendants, the entire estate passes to the decedent’s mother and father in equal shares. If only 1 parent survived the decedent, that parent takes the entire estate.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If no Descendeants or parents, to Brothers and Sisters and Their Descendants
If the decedent leaves no surviving descendants or parents, the estate goes to the decedent’s brothers and sisters and their descendants, PER STIRPES.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If No descendants, parents, or descendants of parents —-> then broken down as follows
If the decedent was not survived by descendants, parents, brothers or sisters or the descendants of brothers or sisters, the estate is divided into two shares. One share goes to the maternal kindred and the other share goes to the paternal kindred as follows:
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If No descendants, parents, or descendants of parents —-> then broken down as follows ::
(i) to grandparents or surviving grandparent
If, e.g., both maternal grandparents survive, the 1/2 share for maternal kin go to the two grandparents, 1/4 each. If however, only the maternal grandmother survives the decedent, she takes the entire 1/2 maternal share
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If No descendants, parents, or descendants of parents —-> then broken down as follows ::
(ii) if no grandparents, to descendants of grandparents, per stirpes
If both paternal grandparents predeceased the decedent, the 1/2 share for paternal kin goes to paternal uncles and aunts and the descendants of deceased uncles and aunts
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If No descendants, parents, or descendants of parents —-> then broken down as follows ::
(iii) if no grandparents or their descendants on maternal side, to grandparents or descendants on patternal side (and Vice Versa)
If there are no surviving paternal grandparents or descendants of paternal grandparents, the entire state (and not just 1/2) goes to the maternal grandparents and their descendants (and vice versa) in accordance with the above two paragraphs
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If no Grandparents or their descendants, to Kindred of Last Deceased Spouse
If the decedent was not survived by a spouse, descendants, parents or the descendants of parents, or grandparents or the descendants of grandparents, the decedent’s estate goes to the kindred of the last deceased spouse (in accordance with the foregoing rules) as if the deceased spouse had survived the decedent, inherited the decedent’s estate and then died intestate
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Intestate Shares of Other Heirs
If none of the above, escheat to the state
If the decedent was not survived by grandparents or the descendants of grandparents, and if there are no living grandparents or descendants of grandparents of the last deceased spouse, the decedent’s estate escheats to the state of FL
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Special Cases
Adopted Children
As to Adopting Family – Adopted Child Treated Same as Natural Child
Can inherit the same as normal child.
A child adopted after the execution of a will is a PRETERMITTED CHILD within the meaning of FL’s Pretermitted Child Statute.
Similarly, an adopted child is conserved a descendant within the meaning of FL’s anti lapse statute
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Special Cases
Adopted Children
As to Natural Parents – All Inheritence Rights Cut Off
EXCEPTION – Death of A Natural Parent
Adoption of a child by the spouse of a natural parent who married the natural parent AFTER the death of the other natural parent has NO EFFECT on inheritance rights between the child and the family of the deceased natural parent.
Also, adoption of a child by a close relative has no effect on the relationship between the child and the families of the deceased natural parents
As natural father dies, and A’s natural mother subsequently married S, who adopted A, A would continue to have inheritance rights through his deceased natural father (from his natural grandparents), notwithstanding his adoption by a new father.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Special Cases
NonMarital Children – Child of Mother for Inheritance Purposes in ALL cases.
Inheritance Rights As to the Natural Father
DAD BY ESTOPPEL
A non marital child inherits from his father and the father’s family ONLY IF:
(i) the NATURAL PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN A MARRIAGE CEREMONY before or after the child’s birth, even if the attempted marriage is void;
(ii) paternity is established by an ADJUDICATION before or after the death of the father; or
(iii) the father ACKNOWLEDGES paternity in WRITING
Note: an action to establish paternity must be commenced within 4 years from the date the child reaches the age ft he majority. however, this limitation does NOT apply to paternity actions brought in probate to determine heirship .
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Special Cases
Half Bloods
Halfbloods are brothers and sisters who have only one common parent
H -------- W --------------------H2 | | A B C
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Special Cases
Half Bloods
Half Bloods Take Half as Much as Whole BLoods
Where property passes to collateral kindred of the intestate, if some of the kindred are of the half blood of the intestate and others are of the whole blood, those of the half blood inherit only half as much as those of the whole blood. Thus, A would take 1/3 and B would take 2/3’s of C’s estate.
H (dead)------- W(dead) --------------------H2 (dead) | | A B C
If A Dies, B and C take 1/2 each. If all the collateral kin are of the half blood, they take whole parents.
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Special Cases
Half Bloods
Half Bloods Take Half as Much as Whole BLoods
Distinction Applies Only to Inheritance by Collateral Kin
The half blood / whole blood distinction applies ONLY to inheritance by collateral kin. Suppose above, it was W who died intestate, survived by her daughter A (first marriage) and by her daughters B and C (second marriage). They would each take 1/3 from W’s estate.
H(dead) -------- W(dead) ---------------H2 (dead) | | A B C
INTESTATE SUCCESSION
Disinheritance
A will provision that expressly disinherits an heir is INEFFECTIVE IF the testator dies partially intestate.
It will pass accordingly to intestate.
SUBSIDIARY PROBLEMS COMMON TO INTESTACY AND WILLS
UNiform Simultaneous Death Act – Property Pass As Though Owner Survived and Beneficiary/heir Did not
USDA Applies UNLESS Instrument Provides Otherwise
No one is compelled to to have the statutes presumption apply to her estate
under the statute the presumption does not apply if “a contrary intention appears n the governing instrument”