What to do When Someone Dies Without a Will? Who Inherits When There is No Will?

Hi I’m Charlotte Volsch real estate broker, in the Inland Empire and High Desert. My team and I are experts at helping trustees, executors, and administrators to prepare market and successfully sell homes in probate or trust.
What to do when someone dies without a will? When someone passes away and there is not a will, it’ll be the hierarchal list of the closest relatives and how the succession works. Basically, who would become the beneficiaries of the decedent. And when this happens the laws of the state determines how the property of the decedent is distributed, and to whom. This includes:
• Real estate
• Bank accounts
• Securities, and
• Other assets
of the person who passed away. What will happen? First, the courts will determine who is going to be the administrator of the estate. When there is no will the courts will ask for a list of family members that can be considered for becoming the administrator of the estate.
The courts will choose that one person, typically it’s the surviving spouse or the domestic partner. If the surviving spouse, or domestic partner are not willing or able to run the estate then other family members become involved. After the spouse or domestic partner, the succession starts with adult children. If you already have been appointed and you’re settling an estate of a deceased person, you probably have a lot of questions. So, please feel
free reaching out to me, I’m here to help.
To find out who inherits certain property, as the personal representative the executor the administrator or trustee, you’ll be collecting some things. There’s a whole list and this is basically it:
1. Life in insurance proceeds
2. Real-estate
3. Bank accounts
4. vehicles
5. Any property held in a living trust
6. Funds in an IRA, a 401k, or a retirement plan for which a beneficiary has been named
7. Funds in a payable on death, a POD bank account
8. Stocks and other securities held in a transfer on death, a TOD account
9. And more!
Again, every state has different rules regarding intestate succession, so my recommendation is that you contact an attorney, hopefully if you’re in a probate you already have a probate attorney and get any questions regarding that specifically answered accurately. The last thing I want to cover is sometimes people ask me “will California get my money?!” That’s highly unlikely… the state of California would have to have found out that there is NO one. I’ve been
doing this for many years and there’s ALWAYS someone that is blood related to the decedent that inherits. It’s highly unlikely that the state will come in, it’s called escheat, and take the property of the decedent.
Hope this helps to explain what happens when there is no will. If you have any questions, I’m here to help.

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Charlotte Volsch

What’s the right way to handle an inherited property—renovate, list, or sell it as-is? I am Charlotte Volsch, an Estate Property Advisor and Probate & Trust Real Estate Specialist helping attorneys, executors, and families make clear, confident decisions when selling inherited homes. I help attorneys, executors, and families navigate inherited property decisions throughout the Inland Empire and High Desert of Southern California, including Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Loma Linda, Fontana, and surrounding communities. Over the course of my career, I have completed 774+ real estate transactions across 24 years, including more than 230 probate and trust property sales. For the past 16+ years, I have focused specifically on estate property situations, working alongside probate and trust attorneys, fiduciaries, and their clients to guide each case from evaluation through sale. Many families are unsure what to do with an inherited home—whether to invest in repairs, list it traditionally, or sell it as-is. Without a clear strategy, estates can make costly mistakes such as over-improving a property, underpricing it, selecting the wrong sale method, or facing delays that impact timelines and estate objectives. I help evaluate those decisions early, so attorneys and their clients can move forward with clarity, avoid unnecessary risk, and choose the most appropriate path based on the property and the situation. I work directly with attorneys and their clients to determine the best path forward, whether that involves preparing a property for the retail market or facilitating a direct sale through a network of qualified investors. For properties that require repairs, may not qualify for traditional financing, or are best suited for as-is sale, I provide access to a network of more than 50 active real estate investors. Over the past 12 months, I have closed 68 transactions, reflecting consistent production and experience navigating changing market conditions. I guide each case using the C.A.L.M. Method: C — Clarify We identify what matters now versus what can wait. A — Align We define priorities—legal, financial, and personal. L — Lead I guide each step in the proper order to avoid delays and unnecessary complications. M — Move Forward Clients proceed with clarity and confidence. I am the Broker Owner of The Volsch Team at Volsch Enterprises, Inc., and hold certifications in Probate Real Estate through the National Association of Realtors (NAR) as well as Certified Probate Real Estate Advisor (Probate Biz). If you are an attorney handling probate or trust matters—or assisting a client with an inherited property—I’m available as a resource to help evaluate the best path forward.