(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), in satisfying a share provided by this chapter:

(1) The share will first be taken from the decedent‘s estate not disposed of by will or trust, if any.

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Terms Used In California Probate Code 21612

  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Devise: when used as a noun, means a disposition of real or personal property by will, and, when used as a verb, means to dispose of real or personal property by will. See California Probate Code 32
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Estate: as used in this part shall include a decedent's probate estate and all property held in any revocable trust that becomes irrevocable on the death of the decedent. See California Probate Code 21601
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Instrument: means a will, a document establishing or modifying a trust, a deed, or any other writing that designates a beneficiary or makes a donative transfer of property. See California Probate Code 45
  • Trust: includes the following:

    California Probate Code 82

  • Will: includes codicil and any testamentary instrument which merely appoints an executor or revokes or revises another will. See California Probate Code 88

(2) If that is not sufficient, so much as may be necessary to satisfy the share shall be taken from all beneficiaries of decedent’s testamentary instruments in proportion to the value they may respectively receive. The proportion of each beneficiary‘s share that may be taken pursuant to this subdivision shall be determined based on values as of the date of the decedent’s death.

(b) If the obvious intention of the decedent in relation to some specific gift or devise or other provision of a testamentary instrument would be defeated by the application of subdivision (a), the specific devise or gift or provision may be exempted from the apportionment under subdivision (a), and a different apportionment, consistent with the intention of the decedent, may be adopted.

(Added by renumbering Section 26112 by Stats. 2003, Ch. 32, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 2004.)

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