Spouse, Disinheriting
People are generally permitted to give away their property however they
wish. Any person or entity may be
named as a
beneficiary of all or any portion of the
estate. Having this freedom means a
testator is also not required to name any person or
entity as a beneficiary, even a spouse.
However, Pennsylvania provides surviving spouses
with the right to take an
elective share equal to
one-third of the deceased spouse's property, even when a
will specifically excludes that spouse.
See: Elective Share, Generally;
Elective Share, Eligibility
