If you die without a will, you are deemed to have died “intestate” and your property will be distributed in accordance with the law of the state where you died. Generally state statutes split the estate between the surviving spouse and children. In Maryland a surviving spouse receives one half of the estate if there are minor children and one half of the estate plus $40,000 if the children are all adults. In the District of Columbia assuming that children are all from the same marriage, the surviving spouse will receive 2/3 of the estate and the children receive the balance. As long as you have some living heirs, your estate will not be lost to the government.