A survivorship clause is a clause in a will which states that a beneficiary must survive for a given period of time for the gift to take effect. The survivorship period can be 1 day, 7 days, or 28 days, but can be as long as six months. A period that long is not generally advisable, as it may duly delay the administration of the estate.

If the beneficiary dies within the prescribed survivorship period, the gift fails and it is distributed to the testator’s other beneficiaries in accordance with his will.