A grantor is the person who is leaving the gift or bestowing a possession to someone. In estate planning, the grantor is the person who is deceased. This person, the grantor, usually has left instruction on what is to be granted to individuals, charities or other institutions. If there is no will, the grantor's wishes will not be known and the court system will distribute the estate according to the laws of the state and whether or not their are living relatives. In this case, the state becomes a symbolic grantor as they are making the decisions. Individuals can prevent the state from becoming their substitute grantor by insuring their final wishes are recorded in legal form, either through an estate planning attorney or using home forms that are notarized and witnessed.