Per stirpes

Per stirpes

A method for distributing the assets of an individual who dies without a valid will. The Latin means for each descendant.

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Per stirpes. Per stirpes is the legal term for transferring the assets of your estate to your children and their descendants.

With a per stirpes distribution, each of your children who is named as a beneficiary is entitled to an equal share. If one of your children is no longer alive, that person's children or children's children divide his or her share.

For example, if you had two children each of whom had two children and one of your children died before you did, under a per stirpes bequest, your surviving child would receive 50% of your estate and the children of your deceased child would each receive 25%.