Your Notary and Lawyer for Inheritance Law in Frankfurt am Main
One field that my clients often find difficult to deal with is the law of inheritance. And understandably so… dealing with one’s own demise is more than alienating for most people. Nevertheless, it is important to make early and careful decisions on matters such as inheritance contracts, wills, compulsory portions or succession planning in order to avoid inheritance disputes and tax disadvantages. Since such disputes have not seldom broken up entire families, it is of great importance not only to draft such documents as desired and precisely, but also to leave no room for interpretation.
In addition to my many years of expertise in inheritance law, I have gained decades of experience in inheritance and succession issues as a specialist lawyer for corporate law, for tax law and furthermore as a mediator in Frankfurt am Main. Besides this, I have had the privilege of assisting many satisfied clients with family law issues, which often go hand in hand with inheritance law matters. Often this also involves the reduction of claims to a compulsory part for children or spouses.
Wills, inheritance contracts and powers of attorney
As a notary and lawyer, I will be happy to provide you with comprehensive advice in all areas of inheritance law as well as in the preparation of an orderly succession of assets and furthermore in the legal structuring of a family office. This includes not only the notarisation of wills and inheritance contracts but also transfers of assets during your lifetime (the so-called “anticipated succession”) and the setting up of family companies. All this should help you to ensure an orderly transfer of your assets and also to make use of tax allowances at an early stage.
In the majority of cases, the legal succession does not match one’ s personal preference and suitability. The decisive factor is always a personal preference: who should get what and in which form? In a personal consultation, we discuss your personal questions and ideas together to then work out a tailor-made result for you.
Legal succession
My services in inheritance law
For these questions, I work out solutions for my clients that are specially adapted to their life situations:
- General powers of attorney
- Lasting powers of attorney and living wills
- Customised business wills
- Wills for private individuals and inheritance contracts, also taking into account current European inheritance law (appropriate choice of law)
- Legally and fiscally optimised lifetime gifts as part of anticipated succession
- The drafting of inheritance settlement agreements and the fulfillment of legacies
- Notarisation of certificates of inheritance and disclaimers of inheritance
- Drafting of partnership agreements for family companies
FAQ in the Area of Inheritance Law
Especially in the area of inheritance law, my clients come to me with very personal matters and questions such as:
How do I secure my family?
What can I do if the children are still minors? How do I deal with a patchwork situation? How do I secure my spouse? What should I include in my will if one of my children has a disability? What do I have to consider after a divorce? All these events need to be considered and evaluated separately from the perspective of inheritance law.
How do I protect my business?
It is advisable to start early with succession planning for one’s own business. On the one hand, it requires thorough planning and implementation, and on the other hand, it is often not desirable that the business passes to the legal inheritors in the (unexpected) event of death. How should the business eventually be transferred? In the form of a gift or rather in return for payment? Should the business remain in family ownership or be sold to a third party? A combination of the two may also be an option: The shares remain in the family while someone external manages the company. Regardless of this question, succession planning always requires a company valuation. As a lawyer specialising in company law and inheritance law, I have already dealt with these and many other issues and found customised solutions for my clients.
What happens in the case of an accident or illness?
An unexpected death or serious illness is a very emotional event for one’s own family and also within the company. Having to deal with the search for important documents and contracts then only unnecessarily complicates the situation of those involved. Therefore, important documents such as wills, inheritance contracts and also powers of attorney should be prepared for such an event and kept in a safe place.
Which law of succession applies if I die abroad?
If one spends their retirement years abroad or is resident there, great caution is required when it comes to inheritance law. Provisions must also be made for this case so that the inheritors are not unexpectedly confronted with a foreign law of succession.
Further inquiries
Especially in this area my clients approach me with very personal matters and the following questions:
- Who is heir and what is a legacy?
- Do I need a will or a contract of inheritance?
- How do I make a lifetime gift to children or others?
- What is the compulsory portion in inheritance law and does the compulsory portion apply despite a will?
- How can one “reduce” a compulsory portion?
- When do I need a certificate of inheritance?
- How do you separate a community of heirs?
Your appointment
In a personal consultation, we discuss your questions and ideas together and then work out a customised result for you. We look forward to your appointment request.
Helpful contributions on the topic of inheritance law
– Only in german available –
Many important questions, tips and examples can be found in the following forum:
www.erbrechtsforum.de
Here you will find answers to many general questions about inheritance law:
www.erbrechtsforum.de
Tips on the matrimonial property regime can be found here:
www.erbrechtsforum.de
Important information on succession:
www.finanztip.de
Information on inheritance law from the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection:
www.bmjv.de