How does the presence of a predeceased child's descendant affect inheritance?

The presence of a predeceased child's descendant significantly impacts inheritance through the principle of representation, often referred to as "per stirpes." This legal concept ensures that if a beneficiary – in this case, a child of the decedent – has passed away before the decedent, their share of the estate will not simply dissipate but will instead be passed down to their descendants.

Specifically, when a decedent's child predeceases them, the grandchildren (or other descendants of that child) take the place of their parent in the distribution of the estate. This means that they inherit the same portion that their parent would have received if they were alive at the time of the decedent's passing. The purpose of this rule is to maintain the line of succession and provide for the descendants of predeceased beneficiaries.

For instance, if a decedent intended to leave their estate equally to their three children, and one of those children died before the decedent, the deceased child's share would be divided among their own children. This preserves the overall intent of the decedent for the lineage and ensures that the family bloodline continues to benefit from the estate.

By contrast, the other options suggest alternate scenarios that do not align with the established inheritance