Uniform Simultaneous Death Act is a piece of legislation enacted by many states which prevents the need of multiple probate proceedings when two individuals die within 120 hours of one another. When someone passes with or without a will, their heirs commonly must go through the long and costly process of probate. Without the Act, heirs would have to go through two probate proceedings in order to transfer the assets of the first person to pass and then the second, such as kids when parents pass soon after the other. The Act removes this hurdle by allowing probate courts to resolve distribution of inheritances only in one proceeding if the two individuals pass within 120 hours of one another.
[Last updated in November of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]