intestato

Intestato is an Italian term used in legal and administrative contexts with two main senses. It can refer to the status of a person who dies without a valid will (successione intestata) or to the designation of the holder of an asset in official records (intestazione). In everyday language, the related noun intestazione denotes the act of registering or naming someone as the owner.

In succession law, successione intestata occurs when a deceased person has no will or its dispositions do not cover all assets. The estate is distributed according to the rules of the Codice Civile, following a fixed order of heirs: typically a surviving spouse and descendants first, then ascendants, then more distant relatives. The shares and relationships are determined by law, and the heirs collaborate in settling debts and distributing assets. If there are no eligible heirs, the estate may pass to the State. The process can involve formal steps such as inventory and, in some cases, the appointment of a administrator or guardian, with heirs able to accept or renounce the inheritance.

In another sense, intestato describes the person in whose name an asset is registered. The owner is called the intestatario (or intestazione) of the asset, and the legal documents, public registers, and title deeds reflect this designation. Transfers or changes in ownership require proper legal instruments and updating the relevant registries. Intestazione can also apply to joint ownership, where multiple individuals are listed as co-intestatari.