What does per stirpes mean?

Per stirpes is a way of dividing an inheritance so that if a beneficiary dies before you, their share passes down to their children. For example, if you leave assets to your three kids per stirpes and one has already died, that child's share splits among their own children rather than going to your surviving kids. It keeps each family branch's portion intact across generations. It's a common and sensible choice when you have grandchildren.