Surviving Spouse Rights New Jersey

New Jersey law affords surviving spouses important rights and benefits, including:

• Intestate Share
• Omitted Spouse Rights
• Elective Share
• Support Allowance
• Exempt Property

Surviving Spouse Rights In New Jersey If No Valid Will – Intestacy

• INTESTATE. When an individual dies without a will, intestate succession law will govern. Under New Jersey law, a statutory framework determines how a decedent’s estate will be distributed. This is referred to as Intestate Administration. To read more about intestate laws in New Jersey, see Who Are Next of Kin in New Jersey.

• INTESTATE SHARE. If a spouse dies without a Will, the surviving spouse receives an intestate share.

• SHARE OF SURVIVING SPOUSE. NO CHILDREN OR CHILDREN ALL OF SURVIVING SPOUSE AND DECEDENT. If the only survivor is a surviving spouse (no surviving descendant or parent) or if the children or descendants who survive the decedent are the lineal descendants of the surviving spouse and the decedent together, then the surviving spouse receives the entire intestate estate of the decedent. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:5-3(a)(1)-(2).

• SHARE OF SURVIVING SPOUSE. NO DESCENDANT OF DECEDENT BUT PARENT OF THE DECEDENT. If there is no surviving issue of the decedent but a parent of the decedent survives the decedent, the surviving spouse inherits the first one-fourth of the intestate estate (but not less than $50,000 or more than $200,000), plus three-fourths of the balance. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:5-3(b).

• SHARE OF SURVIVING SPOUSE. DESCENDANTS NOT ALL OF SURVIVING SPOUSE OR IF SURVIVING SPOUSE HAS SEPARATE DESCENDANTS. If all of the decedent’s surviving descendants are also descendants of the surviving spouse and the surviving spouse has one or more surviving descendants who are not descendants of the decedent; or, if one or more of the decedent’s surviving descendants is not a descendant of the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse inherits the first one-fourth of the intestate estate (but not less than $50,000 or more than $200,000), plus one-half of the balance. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:5-3(c)(1)-(2).

What If I Am Left Out of the Will?

• OMITTED SPOUSE. If a person makes a Will and then marries a person not provided for in the Will, the surviving spouse is called an omitted spouse. Under New Jersey law, a pretermitted spouse is entitled to take a share of the estate as if the decedent died intestate, unless the will clearly provides to the contrary. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:5-15(a)(1)-(3).

Surviving Spouse’s Right To An Elective Share – Election Against a Will

• ELECTIVE SHARE. Under New Jersey law, a surviving spouse has a right to share in a decedent’s estate. The surviving spouse has a right of election to take an elective share of one-third of the augmented estate. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:8-1.

• AUGMENTED ESTATE – Defined. Under N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:8-3, the “augmented estate” means: The estate reduced by funeral and administration expenses, and enforceable claims, to which is added the value of property transferred by the decedent at any time during marriage, or during a domestic partnership, to or for the benefit of any person other than the surviving spouse or domestic partner, to the extent that the decedent did not receive adequate and full consideration in money or money’s worth for the transfer, if the transfer is of any of the following types:

1. The decedent retained a right of possession or income from the property;
2. The decedent retained the power to consume the transferred property or revoke, consume, invade or dispose of the principal for his own benefit;
3. Any transfer held at the time of the decedent’s death with another who held a right of survivorship;
4. Any transfer as a gift within the two years preceding decedent’s death in excess of $3,000.

• SATISFACTION: The value of the elective share is satisfied based on a defined priority of assets and property. Following this statutorily-proscribed method, the surviving spouse’s share shall be satisfied by applying the value of all property, estate or interest therein, owned by the surviving spouse in his or her own right at the time of the decedent’s death from whatever source acquired, or succeeded to by the surviving spouse as a result of decedent’s death notwithstanding that the property, estate or interest or part thereof, succeeded to by the surviving spouse as the result of decedent’s death has been renounced by the surviving spouse. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:8-18.

• DEADLINE FOR FILING FOR THE ELECTIVE SHARE. The surviving spouse may elect to take his or her elective share in the augmented by filing a complaint in the Superior Court within six months after the appointment of a personal representative of the decedent’s estate. See N.J. Stat. Ann. § 3B:8-12.

Surviving Spouse Allowances and Exemptions

Under New Jersey law, if a will contest is pending, the surviving spouse may apply to the court for a support and maintenance allowance from the income of the estate. The surviving spouse can also apply for a further allowance payable from estate principal or income to meet expenses incurred in conduct of a will contest.

A spouse is also entitled to exempt personal property up to $5,000 in value.

Exemptions from Transfer Inheritance Tax

The State of New Jersey imposes both an Estate Tax as well as a Transfer Inheritance Tax on the estates of resident decedents. There are several tax implications surviving spouses need to be aware of. Namely, qualified employment annuities paid to a surviving spouse are exempt from the transfer inheritance tax. It is advised that the surviving spouse consult with an experienced attorney in order to understand the tax structure on inheritances with regard to their rights.