Counties are Burdened by Those Who Die Intestate

Henry was one of seven horses that fell under the care of Marin County when their owner died intestate. Although Marin County found homes for these horses, the bigger issue of adults dying intestate is an expensive problem for the county. Although the county can use assets in an estate to cover the administration expenses, most people leave behind more debts than assets. This year, managing estates has cost taxpayers in Marin County $52,581.

In an effort to combat the intestacy problem, Marilyn Geary and Jacqueline Janssen have begun holding meetings called “LeaveLight Circles.” These gatherings are based on the book “LeaveLight: A Motivational Guide to Holistic End-of-Life Planning” and are meant to help people make decisions regarding funeral arrangements, directives, and other end-of-life considerations.

See Scott James, Dying Alone Intestate Places Burden on the County, N.Y. Times, July 22, 2010. 

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (WealthCounsel) and Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this to my attention.