Estate can refer to that which is bequeathed or inherited. The beneficiary of an estate is the inheritor who has receives the property, real and intangible, that belonged to the decedent. An estate can be large or small and can be divided among more than one beneficiary. Estates encompass much more than just the assets that will be distributed, it also includes any liabilities that the decedent had and that must be covered by the estate before distribution. Estates that are left intestate without any named heirs become the property of the state after due process occurs and a rightful heir is searched for and not found. Proper estate planning can prevent states from taking property that is left intestate.