What happens if I die without a Will in place?

When a decedent dies without a valid Will in place the estate is referred to as an “intestate” estate. If you die intestate, the State of California (or the state where you reside at the time of your death) decides how your estate assets are distributed using the California intestate succession laws. Usually, this means that only close relatives will inherit from the estate. Moreover, dying intestate means you give up the ability to decide who oversees the probate of your estate.