Yes, but that won't solve the problem, as then the assets go to someone else and you're not doing them a favor. Of course if there is nothing registered in their names, like real estate, etc, and there are no creditors to worry about, and the esttae is not taxable, many people just take the assets and forget the paperwork. Also, most states have small estate proceedures that are quite simple (almost). If they have anything more, why not do a little bit of estate planning for them now, like put their assets in a living trust, or name beneficiaries, etc.