A decedent (pronounced da-See-dunt) is a deceased person. This term is commonly used to refer to a deceased person in the law of wills, trusts, and estates.
In Kentucky, as in other states, the term 'decedent' refers to an individual who has passed away. In the context of wills, trusts, and estates law, the decedent is the person whose estate is being managed or distributed after their death. Kentucky law governs the distribution of a decedent's assets through the probate process if the decedent died with a will (testate) or without a will (intestate). The Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) contain specific provisions that address the rights of heirs and beneficiaries, the appointment and duties of executors or administrators, and the procedures for probate court proceedings. The probate process ensures that the decedent's debts are paid and that the remaining assets are distributed according to the decedent's wishes as expressed in a will, or according to state intestacy laws if there is no will.