What can happen to an estate if no relatives of the deceased can be located?

If no relatives of a deceased person can be located, the estate may be subject to a legal process known as escheat.

In the United States, laws in all states provide that if an individual dies without a valid will and no heirs can be found, their property and assets will escheat—or revert—to the state, county, or city. Similarly, in the context of administration, if there is no surviving spouse or relative to act as an administrator for an estate, the right to administer the estate typically devolves to the decedent's creditors and, ultimately, to a public officer.12

While the specific procedures for managing an estate can vary by jurisdiction, the general outcome when no heirs are identified is that the state takes possession of the estate assets.3