Which term refers to the blood relationship of the heirs?

• A. Lineal descendants
• B. Community property
• C. Degree of consanguinity or degree of kinship
• D. Prenuptial agreement

Answer: (C)

When talking about who is related by blood to potential heirs, the key term is degree of consanguinity or degree of kinship. Consanguinity means relation by blood (not by marriage), and the degree measures how close that blood relationship is. Closer relatives have smaller degrees, while more distant relatives have larger ones. This concept matters in estate planning and probate because the rules for who inherits, especially when there’s no will, depend on how closely relatives are related to the decedent. Lineal descendants (direct line like children and grandchildren) are a specific subset within this system, while collateral relatives (such as siblings, cousins) fall into different degrees of kinship. In contrast, community property and prenuptial agreements deal with ownership or marital contracts, not blood relation.