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German Probate

German Probate

German Wills and Grants of Probate are not on Central Public Record

German Wills are considered to be private and confidential Unlike in England, where Wills and Grants of Probate or Letters of Administration are available to everyone and are easily accessible online, German Grants of Probate and especially German Wills are being considered a private matter. These documents are not publicly accessible. Thus, in Germany, there is no probate search service. Instead, anyone who wishes to obtain information on a certain German inheritance case from the…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
October 13, 2016
Conveyancing GermanyGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawProperty in Germany

Received an Inheritance in Germany? Be ready for Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!

Check the German Capital Gains Tax situation before you sell your inherited property! Waiting a few years may avoid significant taxes. If you have received an inheritance which comprises German assets, in particular German property, this inheritance may or may not trigger inheritance taxes in Germany and / or the UK. We have explained these IHT issues in detail in the following posts: The Perils of German IHT and Gift Tax Basics of German Inheritance…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
October 7, 2016
German ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance Law

What is a “Vermächtnis” in a German Will? And how to claim it.

In the UK (and many other Common Law Jurisdictions) the property of the deceased passes initially to a personal representative (executor or administrator) who administers the estate by collecting it in, paying creditors and taxes and then passing the balance to the beneficiaries. Under German law, however, there is no such administration of the estate by a personal respresentative. Instead, in Germany (as in France) the heirs inherit their share of the estate of the…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
September 22, 2016
Conveyancing GermanyGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawProperty in Germany

Is “Miteigentum” in a German Property the same as “Tenancy in Common”?

The different ways to co-own property (real estate) in Germany Well, the legal concepts of "Miteigentum" and "Tenancy in Common" are quite similar, if not identical. The German Miteigentum (co-ownership) is regulated by the German Civil Code in sections 1008 to 1011. Each "Miteigentümer" has a direct, separately transferable interest in the property. However, where property is concerned, the rights of co-owners in Germany are usually individually defined in the notarial deeds and the German…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
September 20, 2016
German ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawGerman Tax Law

Efficient Transfer of Foreign Assets

Seminar for British Solicitors and UK Accountants who advise Clients with Assets Abroad. Main focus is on Germany, but speakers will also briefly touch upon Austria and Switzerland. If you advise clients who own property or other investments abroad, they are not always aware of the fact that this will trigger foreign inheritance taxes and that the executor(s) or beneficiaries will have to go through local probate procedure, which can takes many months and cost…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
September 15, 2016
German LawGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance Law

Formal Requirements to set up a valid Will in England, Scotland and Germany: What are the Differences?

One will per each country or one universal will? International families, expats or elderly people who have moved to another country after retirement often have the choice as to under which country’s legal regime they wish to set up their Last Will & Testament (see here for mutual acknowledgement of Foreign Wills). In this article we compare the formal requirements of German, English and Scottish law (the latter being surprisingly different from English law, in…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
August 12, 2016
Business in GermanyBusiness Tax & Fiscal ObligationsFamily LawGerman Corporate LawGerman Labor LawGerman LawGerman Probate

English Desk at German Law Firm Graf Partners LLP

The Munich and Regensburg based German law firm Graf & Partners LLP, established in 2003, specialises in providing professional legal services to English speaking clients, both business and private. Our British-German specialist teams of lawyers and linguists advise on all legal and tax issues connected to Germany and European Union law, from business, corporate and labour to international probate, family law and property. The English Desk in our Munich office is headed by dual qualified…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
August 3, 2016
German ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance Law

Is an English Last Will & Testament valid in Germany?

Even after Brexit? In most cases, the answer is simply: yes! Any Last Will which is set up in accordance with the formal requirements of English or Scottish law is, in principle, recognised as a valid Will by German Probate Courts. Within the European Union, this is nowadays exlicitly stated in Article 27 of the EU Succession Regulation, which, however, the UK has opted out of (even before Brexit): Article 27: Formal validity of dispositions…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
July 28, 2016
German LawGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance Law

The Infamous “Community of Heirs” in German Inheritance Law – And How to Avoid it

A German testator can have more than one beneficiaries, but should never appoint more than one "heirs" German Succession Law does not know the concept of a "Personal Representative". Instead, German inheritance law applies the principle of direct accession (more on this here). That is all very nice and efficient if there is only a sole heir. Or if, in case there are several heirs, they are reasonable and on good speaking terms. If, however,…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
July 27, 2016
German Probate

How to Renounce the Role as Executor in Germany

If someone who owns assets in Germany dies, these foreign assets will only be released if a German (!) Grant of Probate can be presented. Since the UK has opted out of the EU Succession Regulation, an English Grant of Probate (or Scottish Confirmation) is worthless abroad, just as British financial institutions do not accept non-UK Grants. Thus, in principle, a national Grant of Probate must be obtained in each and every jurisdiction, where the…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
June 23, 2016