If the deceased leaves a spouse or domestic partner (at the date of their death) and no children, the whole of the estate passes to the spouse or domestic partner [see Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA) s 72G].

Who is a domestic partner?

A ‘domestic partner’ is is someone who was in a registered relationship with the deceased under the Relationships Register Act 2016 (SA) at the date of the deceased's death or someone declared to have been a domestic partner of the deceased under the Family Relationships Act 1975 (SA) at the date of the deceased's death [s 4].

A person may be declared to be a 'domestic partner' of another person under the Family Relationships Act 1975 (SA) if they had been living in a 'close personal relationship' and:

See Family Relationships Act 1975 (SA) s 11B.

What is a ‘close personal relationship’?

A ‘close personal relationship’ means a relationship of two adult persons (whether or not they are related by family and irrespective of their sex or gender identity) who live together as a couple on a genuine domestic basis. This does not include a legally married couple or a relationship where one of the persons provides care for a fee or reward [see Family Relationships Act 1975 (SA) s 11].

Declaration by the Court

A Court may make a declaration that two persons were domestic partners on a particular date. The Court must take into account all of the circumstances of the relationship, including any one or more of the following:

See Family Relationships Act 1975 (SA) s 11B(3).

This legislation has application to the following matters affecting estates:

Where the deceased leaves a spouse* and domestic partner each is entitled to an equal share of the property, including any personal belongings of the deceased, that would have gone to a sole spouse or domestic partner [see Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA) s 72H].

* Does not include a divorced spouse

If the deceased leaves a spouse or domestic partner and children the estate will be distributed, pursuant to section 72G of the Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA), on the following basis:

Estates less than $100 000

The spouse or domestic partner will be entitled to:

Estates more than $100 000

The spouse or domestic partner will be entitled to:

The children of the deceased will subsequently be entitled to:

If the deceased and her/his spouse or domestic partner die within twenty eight days of each other it is taken that the spouse or domestic partner did not survive the deceased, and the estate is distributed as though there was no spouse or domestic partner [see Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA) s 72E]. For discussion on adopted, illegitimate or step-children, see below - Children only.

Note: the value of an estate for the purposes of intestacy increased on 26 February 2009 from $10 000 to $100 000 [s 72G(2)]. The amount of $10 000 applies to deaths before this date.

Where there is no surviving spouse or domestic partner but there are surviving children of the deceased, those children receive equal shares of the estate. Grandchildren (by a child who has died before the deceased) take their deceased parent's share divided equally amongst them. But if the dead child was childless, that dead child's share is divided amongst the deceased's other children.

See Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA) s 72I.

A person who has been adopted by the deceased is treated in all respects as if she or he were a lawful child [see Adoption Act 1988 (SA) s 9]. A person who has been adopted cannot share in her or his birth parent's estate unless the adoption occurred after the death of the birth parent.

All children whether born within or outside a legal marriage or qualifying relationship (defined as a marriage-like relationship), are entitled to share in the intestate estate [see Family Relationships Act 1975 (SA) s 6]. A child born outside marriage or qualifying relationship, however, may need to apply to the court for a declaration if the deceased parent has never acknowledged paternity [ss 8, 9]. A step-child (who has not been adopted by the deceased) is not entitled to a share of the estate in the event of intestacy.

If a house is owned jointly by two people, and one dies, the house automatically belongs to the other. This cannot be changed by will. If an intestate person who owned a house in her or his sole name is survived by a spouse/domestic partner and children, and the spouse/domestic partner was living in the house at the time of the death, the spouse/domestic partner has the right to live in the house for three months and is also entitled to buy the house within the same time. In other words, as the value of the house will likely exceed $100 000, the surviving spouse/domestic partner must buy from the children their share in the house (that is, half of the balance divided amongst them) in order to continue to live in it. The three month period begins when the letters of administration are granted to the spouse/domestic partner. If someone else is the administrator the time begins when she or he gives proper notice to the spouse/domestic partner.

See Administration and Probate Act 1919 (SA) s 72L.

If the spouse/domestic partner cannot afford to buy out the children's share, she or he can apply to the court to postpone the sale of the house until the children have all turned 18. Another possibility would be for the spouse/domestic partner to make an application under the Inheritance (Family Provision) Act 1972 (SA) for a greater benefit.