An unmarried client dies intestate with $400,000 in her name and $100,000 in joint tenancy with one of four children. How will the assets be divided?

In this scenario, the client had assets both in her name and in joint tenancy. The total assets amount to $500,000, which consists of $400,000 solely in her name and $100,000 held in joint tenancy with one of her four children.

When a person dies intestate, meaning without a will, the distribution of the assets follows the laws of intestate succession, which typically dictates that the deceased's assets are divided among the heirs, often starting with the closest relatives. In this case, the $400,000 in the client's name is subject to intestate laws, while the $100,000 in joint tenancy automatically transfers to the surviving joint tenant—one of the children in this case.

According to intestate succession laws, the $400,000 will be equally divided among the four children, resulting in each child receiving $100,000 from this portion. The joint tenancy asset of $100,000 effectively goes entirely to the child named as the joint tenant. Therefore, this specific child receives an additional $100,000, totaling $200,000.

Consequently, this child will have $200,000, while each of the other three children will have $100,000 from the portion of the