What Happens to a Child's Share of an Estate After the Child Dies?
Full Question:
Answer:
Once the children receive the property after the will is probated, it then passes to their heirs if they later pass away. There are often provisions in a will for how a lapsed child's share will be distributed, but that is only applicable at the time of probate, not after. The answer will depend on whether the child left a will or not. If not, then the child's portion of the inherited estate will pass according to the laws of intestacy.
Please see the following AL statute:
Section 43-8-41 of the Code of Alabama
Share of the spouse.
The intestate share of the surviving spouse is as follows:
(1) If there is no surviving issue or parent of the decedent, the entire intestate estate;
(2) If there is no surviving issue but the decedent is survived by a parent or parents, the first $100,000.00 in value, plus one-half of the balance of the intestate estate;
(3) If there are surviving issue all of whom are issue of the surviving spouse also, the first $50,000.00 in value, plus one-half of the balance of the intestate estate;
(4) If there are surviving issue one or more of whom are not issue of the surviving spouse, one-half of the intestate estate;
(5) If the estate is located in two or more states, the share shall not exceed in the aggregate the allowable amounts under this chapter.
Section 43-8-42of the Code of Alabama
Share of heirs other than surviving spouse.
The part of the intestate estate not passing to the surviving spouse under section 43-8-41, or the entire intestate estate if there is no surviving spouse, passes as follows:
(1) To the issue of the decedent; if they are all of the same degree of kinship to the decedent they take equally, but if of unequal degree, then those of more remote degree take by representation;
(2) If there is no surviving issue, to his parent or parents equally;
(3) If there is no surviving issue or parent, to the issue of the parents or either of them by representation;
(4) If there is no surviving issue, parent or issue of a parent, but the decedent is survived by one or more grandparents or issue of grandparents, half of the estate passes to the paternal grandparents if both survive, or to the surviving paternal grandparent, or to the issue of the paternal grandparents if both are deceased, the issue taking equally if they are all of the same degree of kinship to the decedent, but if of unequal degree those of more remote degree take by representation; and the other half passes to the maternal relatives in the same manner; but if there be no surviving grandparent or issue of grandparent on either the paternal or the maternal side, the entire estate passes to the relatives on the other side in the same manner as the other half.