Estate Planning Glossary
A Latin term meaning assets pass down to a beneficiary's descendants if that beneficiary predeceases the person who made the will.
Plain English
Per stirpes is a way of handling inheritance when a beneficiary dies before you. Instead of that share disappearing or going to the other beneficiaries, it passes down to the deceased beneficiary's children. Example: you leave your estate equally to your three children. One child dies before you, leaving two kids of their own. Per stirpes means those two grandchildren split their parent's third. It keeps inheritance in the right family branch.
Why it matters
Without per stirpes language, a beneficiary who predeceases you simply loses their share — it gets redistributed to surviving beneficiaries. Per stirpes ensures assets stay in the intended family line.
All First Light wills include per stirpes language in the asset distribution section by default.
Related terms
Common questions
Per stirpes distributes a deceased beneficiary's share to their children. Per capita distributes equally among all living beneficiaries, cutting out deceased beneficiaries' descendants. Per stirpes is more common and generally keeps assets within the intended family branch.
Not automatically. It must be specified in your will. First Light includes per stirpes language as the default in all generated wills.
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