Thank you for your question. If a person dies without a valid Will, they are deemed to have died intestate. In those circumstances, a list of beneficiaries of the estate will be determined by the statutory scheme of intestacy in each State. Usually the estate will pass to spouse, children, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, first cousins. If you do not have any remaining next of kin in these categories then your estate will pass to the State.

Even if it did pass the the State an eligible person might be able to contest the distribution of intestacy through a family provision claim, like they would if they have been excluded or inadequately provided for under a Will.