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A patient died in a nursing home. The deceased left no will and had no heirs. What happens to the deceased's her $250,000 estate?

A. It escheats to the state or county.
B. The nursing home gets to keep it.
C. It will be split between the nursing home and the county.
D. It can be paid over to the deceased's church.

1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

If a person dies without a will and no heirs, their estate may escheat to the state or county based on state intestacy laws.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a deceased person dies without having a will and/or trust established, they are said to have died intestate. This means that the courts will control the passing of assets based on state intestacy laws. Every state has its own set of laws stating who gets what and in what hierarchical order; spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc.

In the case where the deceased person has no will and no heirs, the estate would typically escheat to the state or county, as option A states. This is known as escheatment, where the government becomes the legal owner of the deceased's property or assets. However, it is important to note that the specific laws regarding escheatment may vary depending on the jurisdiction.

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