Issue

Also known as: Descendants

In one sentence

All direct descendants of a person, including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Plain English

Issue is a legal term for all of a person's direct descendants—their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on down the line. It does not include spouses, siblings, or other relatives; it's strictly about people descended directly from that person. You'll often see this word in wills and trusts, such as "I leave my estate to my issue in equal shares." The term is useful because it covers all generations of descendants without having to name each one individually.

Ad slot

Example

In her will, Grandmother Chen writes: "I leave my estate to my issue." This means her three children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren all share in her estate according to the distribution method she specified (per stirpes or per capita).

Used in a sentence

“The trust was designed to benefit the settlor's issue for three generations.”

Related terms

Per Stirpes

A way of dividing an inheritance by family branch, where each branch gets an equal share regardless of how many people are in it.

Per Capita

A way of dividing an inheritance equally among all living beneficiaries at the same level, regardless of family branches.

Heir

A person legally entitled to inherit from someone who dies without a valid will, determined by state law.

Collateral Heir

A relative who is not a direct descendant, such as a sibling, aunt, uncle, or cousin.

Rule Against Perpetuities

A legal rule preventing trusts from lasting forever and tying up property indefinitely.

Probate

The court process of validating a will and distributing a deceased person's estate.

Intestate Succession

The legal process of distributing a deceased person's property when they leave no valid will.

Elective Share

A surviving spouse's right to claim a portion of the deceased spouse's estate despite the will.

This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney.