When someone dies without a valid will, the law of their state or territory decides who receives their estate. Set up a family and an estate, and compare the result across Australia.
General information only, not legal advice. It shows the basic rules; real estates often turn on details (a will that partly works, family provision claims, debts, overseas property). Talk to a lawyer or your state's Public Trustee before relying on it.
The estate and the family
Examples
The estate
Super and life insurance usually pass by nomination, outside the estate, and aren't included.
The family
Partners
Children
Parents alive
Brothers and sisters
Grandparents alive
Aunts and uncles
Who inherits, state by state
Tests
Each example below was worked out by hand from the Act, and runs through the same rules as the console every time the page loads.