Contrary to what it sounds like, “stirpes” is NOT something one visits the doctor to have treated.  

However, there are enough questions about the probate terms “per capita” and “per stirpes” to merit this blog post containing an explanation.  These terms describe different methods of sharing a deceased person’s estate when someone below the deceased person in the family tree has died before the decedent.  So, for example, Per Stirpes might be involved if a person, who had three children, passes away, leaving two living children and one child who died before the person who passed away. 

Per Stirpes 

Per Stirpes is a method of dividing an intestate estate where a class or group of distributees take the share which their deceased parent would have been entitled to, had he or she lived, taking thus by their right of representing such ancestor, and not as so many individuals.”** Essentially, Per Stirpes means that the relatives of the deceased person take the share their deceased parent would have taken.

Per Capita

Per Capita is a method of dividing an intestate estate by which an equal share is given to each of a number of persons, all of whom stand in equal degree to the decedent, without reference to their stocks or the right of representation.”**  Essentially, Per Capita means relatives in the same generation each receive the same share of the estate.

**Both definitions are from the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals case Matter of Estate of Kinnamon, 1992 OK CIV APP 92, 837 P.2d 927, 928.

Per Capita with Representation

Per Capita with Representation is the method that Oklahoma uses for distribution when a person passed away without leaving a last will and testament.  With this version of per capita distribution, the number of shares is determined by reference to the generation nearest the testator which has at least one surviving person.  The image below shows a per capita with representation distribution, with the number of shares being determined at the grandchild level, since that is the first level where there is a surviving person.

This table summarizes the different distribution methods including per capita with representation, the method used in Oklahoma probate.