Ab intestato is a Latin term meaning "by intestacy." The term refers to laws governing the succession of property after the previous owner of the property dies without a valid will.
[Last reviewed in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
AB trust (also called a bypass trust or a credit shelter trust) is a tool often used by well-off married individuals to legally maximize their estate tax exemptions.
Accretion from natural causes (also referred to as alluvion) adds soil, sand, and other types of earth to the part of a person’s property that borders water. While this occurs very slowly, a piece of property may grow a lot over time and increase its value. Any addition to one’s property by accretion becomes that person’s legal property. This is in contrast with avulsion, where the original owner of the moved earth continues to own it.
Adeem means to revoke or withdraw a bequest because the bequeathed assets no longer belong to the testator at the time of their death.
Ademption refers to the destruction or extinction of a testamentary gift because the bequeathed assets no longer belong to the testator at the time of their death.
Ademption by satisfaction occurs when a party gives someone a gift initially intended to be included in their will while that party is still alive. In cases of direct familial relationships, ademption by satisfaction is presumed as established by common law.
Administer means to carry out a task or give something to someone. Administer appears in a variety of contexts in the legal field. For example:
Administration of an estate means the management of the assets and liabilities of someone who has died. When a person has not designated a personal representative by will to deal with their estate upon death, the court will appoint an administrator to manage the estate of the deceased.
An administrator is a person who operates or leads a business, public office, agency, or other forms of organization. There are court administrators and local administrators in this category. A court administrator is an official who oversees the nonjudicial functions of a court; for example, maintaining the court’s calendar, judicial assignments, the budget, and any nonjudicial personnel.
