The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 14: Decedents Estates and Fiduciary Relations
Chapter 047: Uniform Simultaneous Death Act
§ 621. No sufficient evidence of survivorship
Where the title to property or the devolution thereof depends upon priority of death and there is not sufficient evidence that the persons have died otherwise than simultaneously, the property of each person shall be disposed of as if he had survived, except as provided otherwise in this chapter.
§ 622. Beneficiaries
Where two or more beneficiaries are designated to take successively by reason of survivorship under another person’s disposition of property and there is not sufficient evidence that these beneficiaries have died otherwise than simultaneously, the property thus disposed of shall be divided into as many equal portions as there are successive beneficiaries and these portions shall be distributed respectively to those who would have taken in the event that each designated beneficiary had survived.
§ 623. Joint tenants
Where there is not sufficient evidence that two joint tenants or tenants by the entirety have died otherwise than simultaneously, the property so held shall be distributed one-half as if one had survived and one-half as if the other had survived. If there are more than two joint tenants and all of them have so died, the property thus distributed shall be in the proportion that one bears to the whole number of joint tenants.
§ 624. Insurance policy
Where the insured and the beneficiary in a policy of life or accident insurance have died and there is not sufficient evidence that they have died otherwise than simultaneously, the proceeds of the policy shall be distributed as if the insured had survived the beneficiary.
§ 625. Construction
This chapter shall not apply to the distribution of the property of a person who has died before March 21, 1941.
§ 626. Application where provision made for simultaneous death
This chapter shall not apply in the case of wills, living trusts, deeds, or contracts of insurance wherein provision has been made for distribution of property different from the provisions of this chapter.
§ 627. Interpretation to effectuate purpose
This chapter shall be so construed and interpreted as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law in those states that enact it.
