parentelic system

The parentelic system is a method of determining who inherits a deceased person’s property when they die intestate. The assets are first passed to the spouse, descendants and parents of the decedent, then to siblings, nieces and nephews of the decedent. The parentelic system is used to find additional heirs by looking down the line of descendants from ancestors of the decedent. 

[Last reviewed in November of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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