Well, testacy denotes that a decedent left a will and presumably in that will outlined how he or she wanted their estates to be distributed upon their death and who they wanted to serve as personal representative or executor to carry out their wishes. By contrast, the term intestacy denotes that the decedent left no will. And in that case, the law is going to make certain presumptions as to who receives the decedent’s estate and in what portions. And a judge is going to appoint a personal representative to oversee the administration.

So I think what with Prince’s passing, we should all be impressed with the notion that it’s a good idea to have a will. If you die in testate, your heirs might take your estate as you would want, but it’s not always that way. It’s better for you to make a decision than for the law and the courts to make a decision on your behalf.