Dying Without a Will in Mississippi

When a Mississippi resident dies without having made a last will and Testament, the intestacy succession laws found in the Mississippi Code will dictate who inherits the probate estate. Below is a summary of the Mississippi intestacy succession laws in various situations.

Deceased Person Is Survived by a Spouse And/Or Descendants

Here is what will happen if the deceased person is survived by a spouse and/or descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc.):

• Survived by a spouse and one child - In this case, the spouse will inherit one-half of the probate estate and the child will inherit the other one-half.
• Survived by a spouse and more than one child - In this case, the spouse and children will inherit the probate estate in equal shares.
• Survived by descendants and no spouse - In this case, the deceased person's descendants will inherit 100% of the probate estate, per stirpes.
• Survived by a spouse and no descendants - In this case, the spouse will inherit the entire probate estate.

Deceased Person Is Not Survived by a Spouse or Descendants

Here is what will happen if the deceased person is not survived by a spouse or any descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc.):

• Survived by one or both parents - In this case, the parents will inherit equal shares of the deceased person's probate estate if both are living, or the surviving parent will inherit 100%.
• Survived by siblings or descendants of siblings and no parents - In this case, the deceased person's siblings and the descendants of deceased siblings (nieces and nephews) will inherit the entire probate estate, per stirpes.
• Not survived by any family members - If the deceased person is not survived by any family members, then the entire probate estate will escheat to the State of Mississippi.

What You Will Inherit From a Mississippi Intestate Estate

What will you inherit if your relative dies without leaving a last will and testament and the relative was a Mississippi resident or owned real estate located in Mississippi? Even if you determine based on the information above that you are entitled to an intestate share of your relative's estate, you may not inherit anything.

You may not inherit because your relative may have left all non-probate property or the debts your relative owed at the time of death may exceed the value of the probate estate which will make the estate insolvent. If you are not sure of your legal rights as an intestate heir in Mississippi, then consult with a Mississippi probate attorney to be sure.

Will You Will Owe in Taxes on Your Mississippi Inheritance?

Mississippi is among the majority of U.S. states that do not collect an estate tax or an inheritance tax at the state level. However, your inheritance may be subject to an estate tax at the federal level, and you may also owe income taxes (state and/or federal) on certain types of assets you inherit.

The information contained in this article is not tax or legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own state’s laws or the most recent changes to the law. For current tax or legal advice, please consult with an accountant or an attorney.