French and international successions
Inheritance law is complex and depends on the family situation of the deceased person and his/her personal assets, as well as his/her liabilities. It requires in France the establishment of various documents (declaration of succession within six months of the date of death, and the signing of notarized deeds, and certificates of real estate ownership). It is also necessary to report to the estate the previous deeds of donation and sharing donations made.
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We put all our knowledge of French and international inheritance lawyers at your disposal in Paris 8.
Inheritance in France: definition and application
In France, to calculate the inheritance tax, people must first make an inventory of the property owned by the deceased person and then deduct his/her debts. It is then necessary to determine the amount of each family member's share. However, the inheritance has a cost for the beneficiary, which depends on your relationship with the deceased person.
The share that an individual inherits depends on an order of heirs established by law, but it may be based on a potential will written by the deceased person himself/herself.
If the deceased person did not make a will, the order of priority of heirs will determine the shares of the estate:
- Children and their descendants
- Parents, brothers and sisters and their descendants
- Ascendants other than parents
- Collateral heirs, other than brothers and sisters and their descendants
The surviving spouse is also an heir, but his or her share may vary depending on the existence of other heirs at the time of death (if the deceased person had children in particular) and on the matrimonial regime chosen by the couple.
Our law firm in Paris 8 is also involved in international succession matters
It is good to know that if a person dies outside of France while still having assets in France, the declaration of inheritance must be filed within 12 months following the death.
An international succession must respect the laws in force in each State. Therefore, our law firm in Paris 8 offers you its services and expertise in these cases.
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