Yes. The default in state law, called “intestacy,” is designed with married couples in mind. If a married couple dies without any estate plan, the survivor will get a good portion of the assets left behind. However, if you are unmarried, unless you are in a state that legally recognizes domestic partnerships or civil unions and you have registered as such, the survivor would get nothing. Instead, the family of origin of the unmarried partner who died would get anything in that partner’s name, including bank accounts, real estate, etc.
About Allen Leavitt
Allen Leavitt was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Allen attended University of Nevada-Las Vegas, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics in 2006. Then, wanting to couple his business degree with a law degree, Allen attended William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV. Allen is licensed to practice in all Nevada Courts.