A relative has died without a will
The descendants inherit first, and the children in equal shares. The surviving spouse has rights of their own.
What happens without a will
The law decides who inherits: this is statutory or intestate succession (sucesión legítima o intestada).
«La sucesión legítima tiene lugar: 1.º Cuando uno muere sin testamento, o con testamento nulo, o que haya perdido después su validez.»
Who inherits first
The children and their descendants, regardless of sex, age or parentage.
«Los hijos y sus descendientes suceden a sus padres y demás ascendientes sin distinción de sexo, edad o filiación.»
How it is shared out
Among the children, in equal shares. If the deceased had civil residence status (vecindad civil) in a region with its own civil law, such as Catalonia, Aragon, Navarre, the Basque Country, Galicia or the Balearic Islands, other rules may apply.
«Los hijos del difunto le heredarán siempre por su derecho propio, dividiendo la herencia en partes iguales.»
Is something different in your case?
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General information, not advice on your specific case. Text prepared with the help of artificial intelligence; every quotation is a verbatim extract from the official text and is checked against the BOE every night. Other common letters.