22. July 2017

Emergency will: prerequisites and formation

An emergency will can be created in exceptional cases. It is delivered orally to two witnesses and is valid only for a limited term.

3. July 2017

Right of residence – lifelong living in your own home

You can apply for a right of residence in order to secure your individual housing situation in the event of death. The right of residence is the right to inhabit a building or part of it. In contrast to the “usufruct”, the use of the right of residence is personal and not transferable.

19. June 2017

Guardianship provision – guardian in case of death

What is a guardianship provision? In principle, Swiss law provides for legal provisions when parents decease. If only one parent dies, custody usually remains with the surviving parent – given this is within the best interest of the child. This is automatically the case for parents who are married, as well as those who are […]

17. June 2017

Inheritance advance – what you need to know

An inheritance advance is a special form of gift. However, the recipient must offset this free gift from their share of the inheritance when the estate is divided up. Read on to find out what you need to know to prevent disputes later on.

24. January 2017

Statutory entitlement in law of succession

Swiss law not only determines who the heirs of a person are, it also stipulates the share of the estate to which the heirs are usually entitled. In order to determine the legal succession, Swiss law uses a parentelic system.

18. January 2017

The inheritance contract

A person can set up an inheritance contract to prepare for their death. This will allow them to dispose of their assets after their decease.

18. November 2016

Will – requirements on form and content

In the event of death, the will is often the most important surviving document. In order for it to be valid, it must meet certain formal requirements. Normally, it must be written by hand, as well as dated and signed.