Inheritance law

We are specialists in inheritance law and provide tax effective advice in respect of business succession, the administration of estates, the distribution of assets and trustee services. We have experience in cross-border inheritance matters with individuals and businesses in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.
Our lawyers provide advice to business owners and their successors regarding planning and implementing a business succession strategy in a tax optimized and affordable manner.
We are experienced in providing advice on the administration of estates. This includes assisting executors, administrators and beneficiaries in respect of legal and tax administration, including dealing with banks, tax offices, former creditors and the Probate Court. We represent our clients in Court and in alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.
Our lawyers provide structural advice and draft wills to ensure that the assets of our clients are distributed in accordance with their wishes and in a tax efficient manner. We draft inheritance contracts and spousal contracts for individuals and businesses. We also develop risk prevention measures to ensure businesses continue to operate in the event of a sudden death or illness.
We also provide trustee services for our clients. This is an executor or administrator of our clients´will in respect of assets and liabilties in Germany.

Areas of advice
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[accordion-item title=”> Business law”]Our specialist lawyers and tax advisors provide advice to business owners and their successors regarding the implementation of the business succession strategy in a legal, tax optimized, affordable and effective manner given their individual asset and family situation.
We assist our clients in all phases of business succession, from the first brainstorming session regarding the specific planning and design up until implementation of the transfer of the business to the successor.

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[accordion-item title=”> Estate administration”]In the administration of estates our advisors make themselves acquainted with the life of the Testator in a legal, organizational and financial sense. We advise heirs regarding the legal and tax processing and administration and support them in a difficult phase of life, e.g. in dealing with banks, tax offices, former creditors and the Probate Court. We help with the checking off of all formalities and support heirs and co-heirs with all necessary decisions.

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[accordion-item title=”> Estate planning”]We ensure that the assets of our clients are distributed in accordance with their wishes during their lives and following death. For example, if a client wishes to provide for their spouse and in doing so wishes to take account of inheritance law issues. Or would like to transfer property to the children, without doing away with their right to be heard.
We draft Wills as well as Inheritance Contracts and Spousal Contracts in the business and private spheres. In doing so we keep a watchful eye out for earnings and inheritance tax law.
From the point of view of dispute prevention we recommend that successors be involved at the earliest possible stage. This includes e.g. gifts as part of an anticipated inheritance.
To ensure the continuing existence of the business and maintenance of the family wealth we develop risk prevention measures, which take effect in the event of sudden death or a difficult illness of the business person. If a successor is not found within the family or the business itself then we assist the business person in the sale of the business.

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[accordion-item title=”> Advice regarding foundations”]There has been a noticeable foundations boom in Germany for a number of years. Widows, widowers, childless couples and business people are increasingly deciding to establish a foundation with a significant portion of their assets. An improvement in the taxation and civil law framework may be the reason for this. This makes a foundation an attractive instrument of design for private and business succession planning.
We are pleased to advise you on “doing good” for your descendants, your business or the community with the help of a foundation.
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[accordion-item title=”> Executorship and trusteeship of wills”]Heirs receive professional help from us and are protected from protracted disputes. We assume responsibility for the filing of inheritance tax returns, professional administration and distribution of the estate. For us it is the will of our clients that counts and we implement this in a representative capacity following their passing away.
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