1. Except as provided in subsection 3, a lawful adoption extinguishes the right of intestate succession of an adopted person from and through the adopted person’s biological parents. The adopted person inherits from and through the adoptive parents in the same manner as a biological child inherits from and through the child’s biological parents.

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Terms Used In Iowa Code 633.223

  • Child: includes an adopted child but does not include a grandchild or other more remote descendants, nor, except as provided in sections 633. See Iowa Code 633.3
  • Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, or government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; or any other legal or commercial entity. See Iowa Code 633.701
  • Surviving spouse: means the surviving wife or husband, as the case may be. See Iowa Code 633.3
 2. Except as provided in subsection 3, a lawful adoption extinguishes the right of intestate succession of a biological parent from and through the parent’s biological child who is adopted. The adoptive parents inherit from and through the adopted person in the same manner as biological parents inherit from and through the parents’ biological child.
 3. An adoption of a person by the spouse or surviving spouse of a biological parent has no effect on the relationship for inheritance purposes between the adopted person and that biological parent or biological parent’s heirs. An adoption of a person by the spouse or surviving spouse of a biological parent after the death of the other biological parent has no effect on the relationship for inheritance purposes between the adopted person and the deceased biological parent’s heirs.
 4. A person inherits through an adopted person, an adoptive parent, or a biological parent of an adopted person only if the adopted person, adoptive parent, or biological parent of an adopted person would have inherited under subsection 1, 2, or 3.