Probate without a will

When someone dies in Washington without a will, their estate is distributed according to Washington’s intestate succession statutes. The state has a default plan, but it’s rarely the plan most families would have chosen for themselves.

What we’ll cover in detail

• How Washington decides who inherits when there’s no will
• How a surviving spouse’s share works under community property rules
• What happens when the closest relatives are children, parents, siblings, or further removed
• How the court appoints an administrator
• What to do if you suspect a will exists but can’t be found

Intestate probate is rarely as simple as families expect. We’ll walk you through what to do next.