The best way to be certain that your heirs, descendants, and loved ones inherit from your estate is to leave a will.  When either a birth parent or an adoptive parent dies without leaving a will or naming an heir, disputes of property distribution may arise. This is called intestacy. If someone dies intestate, State law determines who may inherit from whom.

All 50 States and the Territories of the United States specify an adopted child's rights of inheritance from and through the adoptive and biological parents.

Usually, the court decree that finalizes the adoption terminates the legal relationship between the biological (birth or natural) parent and the adopted child. However, there are exceptions to this policy in some States.

The adopted child is treated by law as the natural child of the adopting parents, upon the entry of the final adoption decree. The adopted child, consequently, gains the right to inherit from the adoptive parents and adoptive parents' relatives. Adoptive parents also gain the right to inherit from their adopted child.

An estate planning lawyer can help you with issues arising from intestacy and general inheritance planning.