As an expert in the field of inheritance law, I would like to clarify the concept of an heir and the role of a spouse in inheritance matters. An heir, in the legal sense, is a person who is entitled to inherit property from another upon their death. This typically includes direct descendants such as children, grandchildren, and so on. However, the term can also extend to more distant relatives, known as collateral heirs, which include siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, and so forth.

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A collateral heir is a relative who is not a direct descendant, but a brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin, nephew, niece or a parent. It is noteworthy that a spouse is not an heir unless specifically mentioned in the will. He/She may, however, receive an inheritance through marital property or community property laws.read more >>