What happens when someone dies without a will?

In the United States, the details would vary from state to state, but most likely it is put in an "estate." If the person is married most likely it eventually goes to the spouse, else if the surviving family can't agree then the court does. If someone disagrees (even if there is a will, one can disagree with it) it can be contested. That is the one of the reasons why the GLBT movement want to have the right to be married, because even with domestic partnerships, it is not as strong as marriage, and other people keep contesting the documents and winning. With marriage, it is a no-brainer. This is a very simplistic answer based on my layperson knowledge.

Hi I am in England and here if you dont make a will things can take a long time to happen and has to go to probate who sorts out who gets what. A relative of ours did not make a will and so a solicitor had to first find out next of kin or even kins. Then everything had to be registered and if you dont know where one next of kin is living you have to put it in the papers to find them. This all costs money. If the person did not have much money or items to leave anyway then the costs can eat it all up. It is so easy to make a will by a soicitor or even get one from a stationery shop but this could be found illegal if not signed right. You can make a will and say you buy something after the will then you leave a note with your will who will have it and this will do instead of writing out another one. I would advise anyone to make one even though at the time you think its a waste of money.