What happens if someone doesn’t have a will or trust?

If an individual passes away without a will or a trust, their beneficiaries will be determined based on the laws of the state where they resided at the time of their death. This means that the individuals whom they may have wished to inherit their estate might not do so, according to the state’s legal provisions. Additionally, the individual responsible for managing the estate, commonly referred to as the executor or personal representative, will not be chosen by the individual but will be determined by state law.