Inheritance, Succession & Foundations

Inheritance law regulates the transfer of a person’s assets to beneficiary third parties. By law, both the assets as well as the liabilities of testators pass as an undivided whole to the legal heir or heirs. Testators have numerous options, however, for distributing their estate – whether in the event of death or within the framework of anticipated succession – in deviation from the statutory provisions.

Conflicts over the inheritance and the impact of inheritance tax can threaten the assets left behind, though. Especially in the case of larger business and larger private assets, a forward-looking strategy is therefore required. This ensures that the will of the testator is enforced, and that the estate is protected. This is particularly true of family businesses, where the question of company succession is of enormous importance and should be planned as early as possible – also in conjunction with pension arrangements.