What is true about community property during the death of one spouse?

In community property states, assets acquired during marriage are considered jointly owned by both spouses. Upon the death of one spouse, the surviving spouse retains ownership of their half of the community property. Additionally, the deceased spouse's half is typically passed on according to the laws of intestate succession if there is no will, or according to the terms of the will if one exists.

When we consider option B, it accurately reflects the situation. The surviving spouse inherits their share (50%) outright and will also inherit the deceased spouse’s half if there are no other claims or heirs if it's under intestate laws. This keeps the community property intact and ensures that the surviving spouse has a rightful claim to their share of the community property.

The other options are misleading or incorrect in the context of community property laws. For instance, options suggesting that the surviving spouse inherits nothing, or that the entire property automatically reverts to them without consideration of the deceased's estate, do not accurately capture how community property is treated upon one spouse's death. Additionally, the notion that the property must be sold does not align with the principles of community ownership, as it is not a requirement in such scenarios.