Cal. Probate Code § 24 : California Probate Code — Preliminary Provisions And Definitions — Beneficiary Date: 31 Aug 2016 TEXT PDF Current through the 2016 Legislative Session "Beneficiary" means a person to whom a donative transfer of property is made or that person's successor in interest, and: (a) As it relates to the intestate estate of a decedent, means an heir. (b) As it relates to the testate estate of a decedent, means a devisee. (c) As it relates to a trust, means a person who has any present or future interest, vested or contingent. (d) As it relates to a charitable trust, includes any person entitled to enforce the trust. Ca. Prob. Code § 24