Dying without a will may result in your estate going to someone you didn’t intend to receive it, unnecessary estate taxes, delays in settling the estate, added estate expenses and leaving your estate assets without proper management and protection.
If you die without a will, New York State law makes the decision as to the distribution of your property.
If you die leaving a spouse and one child, your spouse receives $50,000.00 in money or personal property and one-half of the estate and your child receives the remaining one-half.
If your spouse and two or more children survive, your spouse receives $50,000.00 and one-third of the estate.