The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress intended to define and protect the institution of marriage. This law specifically defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman which allowed individual
Definite beneficiaries are a requirement of a valid trust, along with settlor capacity and intent, trust property, a valid trust purpose, and duties that the trustee must perform. This means th
Dependent has multiple legal meanings. Generally, “dependent” refers to an individual who relies on support from another individual and usually cannot exist or sustain themselves independently without the aid or support of someone else. Basically, it is an individual who needs support and their support is contingent from the help of another individual. The dependent individual is sustained by the other individual.
Dependents benefits are social security proceeds which may be received by those who rely on the primary recipient’s income. Dependents benefits often take the form of survivor benefits, although in some circumstances dependents may receive benefits while the recipient still lives.
A descendant is a person born in a direct biological line. For example, a person's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are their descendants. In legal writing, the term "descendant" can have multiple meanings, including those who have been adopted as well as those who are descendants through lineal consanguinity.
Devise refers to a gift given by means of the will of a decedent of an interest in real property.
[Last reviewed in August of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
A devisee is a person who receives a gift of some interest in real property from a decedent's will.
[Last reviewed in August of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
A directive to physicians and family (also called living wills, health care directives, and advance directives) are legal mechanisms where an individual can choose to prevent medical personnel from using life sustaining treatments for life-threatening health situations.
Disclaimer trust refers to a type of trust used by spouses to limit estate taxes. Spouses can agree to move assets the other spouse will receive upon their death into an irrevocable trust in their wills. This only occurs if the spouse chooses not to inherit the assets outright.
