Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Illinois

Re: heirs

I've never heard the term *bodily* heir, but a person's heirs-at-law are those persons entitled to a share of someone's inestate estate (applies only when there is no will). There is a line of succession that begins, in Illinois, with 1/2 to spouse and 1/2 divided among children (and descendants of deceased children). If no spouse, then all to children, if no children, then all to spouse. If there is no spouse or children, then it goes among parents and siblings (and descendants of deceased sibs). A parent receives a double share if the other parent is deceased. It goes on from there and gets more complicated. Hope this helps. Happy holidays.