There’s a popular  intestacy “game” known as “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” Part of what people call “Bacon’s Law,” the goal of this game is to try and find how an actor or individual is linked to famous actor, Kevin Bacon. The game merely seeks to identify how closely related an individual is to the Footloose star. How does Kevin Bacon relate to the laws of intestacy? Read on…

When it comes to probate court however, there is something called “laws of intestacy.” This statute is applied in the court if an individual passes away with no will. Under the statute, the government chooses who receives assets from the estate – not you. Who qualifies under the laws of intestacy? How is it determined? Who gets what?

Darren Findling of The Probate Pro answers all these questions and more:

Below The Probate Pro provides additional information on the laws of intestacy in Michigan. MCL 700.2102 is the Michigan statute regarding distribution under the laws of intestacy. The relevant intestacy statute provides:

  (1) The intestate share of a decedent’s surviving spouse is 1 of the following:
  (a) The entire intestate estate if no descendant or parent of the decedent survives the decedent.
  (b) The first $150,000.00, plus 1/2 of any balance of the intestate estate, if all of the decedent’s surviving descendants are also descendants of the surviving spouse and there is no other descendant of the surviving spouse who survives the decedent.
  (c) The first $150,000.00, plus 3/4 of any balance of the intestate estate, if no descendant of the decedent survives the decedent, but a parent of the decedent survives the decedent.
  (d) The first $150,000.00, plus 1/2 of any balance of the intestate estate, if all of the decedent’s surviving descendants are also descendants of the surviving spouse and the surviving spouse has 1 or more surviving descendants who are not descendants of the decedent.
  (e) The first $150,000.00, plus 1/2 of any balance of the intestate estate, if 1 or more, but not all, of the decedent’s surviving descendants are not descendants of the surviving spouse.
  (f) The first $100,000.00, plus 1/2 of any balance of the intestate estate, if none of the decedent’s surviving descendants are descendants of the surviving spouse.
  (2) Each dollar amount listed in subsection (1) shall be adjusted as provided in section 1210.

And, MCL 700.2502 addresses the validity of a Will in Michigan.

 

Are you related within Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? Questions about the law of intestacy in Michigan. Just want to talk. Call The Probate Pro at (833) PROBATE.