Legal Definitions - distributee

A distributee is a person or party who receives a share of assets from a total of assets of a decedent. In simpler terms, a distributee could be defined as an heir; a person entitled to an interest or share in the estate distribution process.

For example, if someone dies and leaves behind a will, the people named in the will as beneficiaries are distributees. If someone dies without a will, the state's laws of intestacy determine who the distributees are.

Expectant distributee would be a prospective heir whose interest in the estate has a contingency. Legal Distributee would be a person legally entitled to take their share of property provided by a will. It is often synonymous with the word beneficiary.

In the context of trusts, a distributee is a recipient of the proceeds of the trust. For example, if someone sets up a trust and names their children as beneficiaries, the children are the distributees.

Overall, a distributee is a beneficiary entitled to some sort of payment or share of assets.