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Kansas Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 20, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 20, 2026. · 9 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

Kansas Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)

Updates

Corrected the Kansas estate tax repeal date to January 1, 2010, replaced the incorrect statement that Kansas never had an inheritance tax with its actual pre-1998 history and 2008 sunset, credited the surviving spouse’s one-half share to K.S.A. 59-504 rather than 59-506, and cited K.S.A. 20-301 rather than the definitions section for district court jurisdiction.

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Reviewed and approved by an editor

Sources and References

  1. K.S.A. 59-504, Share of spouse (surviving spouse and no children)(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  2. K.S.A. 59-506, Descent, no surviving spouse(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  3. K.S.A. 59-1507b, Transfer of personal property by affidavit (small estates)(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  4. K.S.A. 59-2239, Nonclaim statute, limitations on creditor claims(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  5. Kansas Statutes, Chapter 59, Probate Code(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  6. Kansas Judicial Council, Small Estates Affidavit (K.S.A. 59-1507b)(kjc.ks.gov).gov
  7. K.S.A. 59-507, Descent when no spouse or issue(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  8. K.S.A. 59-2236, Notice to creditors(ksrevisor.gov).gov
  9. Shawnee County District Court, Probate(shawneecourt.org).gov
  10. Kansas Department of Revenue, Notice 10-07: Kansas Estate Tax Repealed for Estates of Decedents Dying On or After January 1, 2010(ksrevenue.gov)
  11. Kansas Department of Revenue, Notice 08-01: Kansas Inheritance Tax Ends On July 1, 2008(ksrevenue.gov)
  12. K.S.A. 20-301, District courts; general original jurisdiction(ksrevisor.gov)
  13. K.S.A. 59-102, Kansas probate code definitions(ksrevisor.gov)
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