An Unexpected Inheritance

Have you ever dreamed of receiving a large sum of money from the estate of a
distant relative you’ve never met? This was the surprise news that 119 of Joseph
Stancak’s distant cousins received following his passing in 2016. Having no
spouse or children, and no living siblings or immediate family members as
obvious heirs, Joseph’s $11 million estate went unclaimed without a will. Despite
not ever knowing their relative, each of the 119 heirs will receive an inheritance
of around $60,000 (Rachel Koning Beals, “Chicago Man’s $11 Million Estate to
be Divided Among 119 Distant Cousins Who Never Knew Him,” MarketWatch,
Inc., October 30, 2022, https://www.marketwatch.com/story/chicago-mans-11-
million-estate-to-be-divided-among-119-distant-cousins-who-never-knew-him11666648259).