Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

per stirpes

phrase

pər ˈstərpēz

Definition

A legal term used in inheritance law that refers to the method of distributing a deceased person’s estate to their heirs, where the estate is divided among branches of the family rather than dividing it equally among each individual heir.

Examples

In a will that distributes assets per stirpes, if one child has died, their share goes to their children instead of being divided among the surviving siblings.
When planning your estate, consider using a per stirpes distribution to ensure that your grandchildren are provided for if their parent has passed away.

Meaning

The term ‘per stirpes’ literally means ‘by roots’ in Latin. In practice, it means that if a beneficiary predeceases the decedent, that beneficiary’s share will pass to their own descendants.