Do I need a will if I am married?
By Atty. Sean J. O’Brien
Dautrich & O’Brien Law Offices
The short answer is yes. Many people believe that if you die without a will, everything you own goes to your surviving spouse. Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania, if you die without a will, your estate must follow the intestate succession statutes. The intestate succession statutes control the disposition of your assets. The statutes provide that the share of the surviving spouse (depending on if there are children) can be as little as one-half of the intestate estate.