What do intestacy laws regulate?

Intestacy laws primarily govern the distribution of a deceased person’s property when they die without a valid will, referred to as dying intestate. These laws provide a structured framework for how the estate is divided among surviving relatives, which can include immediate family members such as spouses, children, parents, and siblings. The specific distribution can vary by jurisdiction, reflecting the state's intentions about who should inherit in the absence of a will.

While taxation of inherited property, the validity of a will, and marital property rights are indeed important legal concerns, they are not the focus of intestacy laws. Taxation pertains to the financial obligations resulting from inheritance, the validity of a will deals with whether a will exists and meets legal requirements, and marital property rights involve rights concerning property acquired during a marriage. Therefore, they fall outside the scope of what intestacy laws specifically regulate.