Question

An elderly man in a nursing home, has no family and is suffering from Alzheimer's. Because of his Alzheimers, he doesn't remember much. Eventually, he passes away in his sleep. There is no will for the man, and again he has no family. So what happens to the money left in his savings account and his old farm that has been left untouched since he entered the nursing home?

A) Escheat
B) Eminent Domain
C) Adverse Possession
D) Inverse Condemnation

Answer 1

In the absence of a will and no living relatives, the elderly man's assets would escheat to the state. This legal process ensures that assets are not left ownerless. The correct option is A) Escheat

Step-by-step explanation:

When an individual dies without a will and has no family, their estate goes through a legal process known as intestacy. Since the elderly man in the question has died intestate, his savings and farm would be subject to his state's intestacy laws.

In the absence of a will, and given that there are no living relatives, the property would likely escheat to the state government. This means the state takes ownership of the assets. Escheat ensures that property is not left ownerless and serves as the state's default mechanism for dealing with unclaimed estates.

If the elderly man in the nursing home passes away without a will and has no family, his assets, including the money in his savings account and his old farm, will be subject to the laws of intestacy.

Intestacy laws vary by state, but generally, the assets will be distributed to the closest living relatives, such as siblings, nieces, or nephews. If no living relatives can be found, the assets may escheat to the state, meaning they become the property of the government.

The correct option is A) Escheat