If you don’t want to bequeath your estate following the statutory order of succession, you have two options for making individual arrangements: a handwritten will or a notarized will. What are the advantages of a notarized will over a handwritten will?

If the deceased failed to make a testamentary succession arrangement, the estate is distributed in accordance with statutory inheritance law. Inheritance is determined according to a statutory order of precedence based on the degree of kinship to the deceased person.

What happens if someone dies without leaving a will or an inheritance contract? In Germany, statutory succession applies, which we explain in this article.

The general rule in Germany is that when a person dies, the statutory succession applies. It’s possible to deviate from statutory regulations. To do so, the future testator must draw up a will during their lifetime. Find out what types of wills exist in Germany.