The death certificate confirms the death of a person with all important details. It is a prerequisite for important legal steps to be taken after a death. With it, the heirs can, for example, apply for the certificate of inheritance and organise the funeral.

Many mourners wish to honour a deceased person appropriately. According to a long Swiss tradition, this often occurs in public obituaries, not least in newspapers.

Organisations that are tax-exempt throughout Switzerland and its cantons Not all NGOs are the same. The abbreviation for nongovernmental organisation is often simplistically equated with charitable organisations. We’ll clarify the terminology further in another article. As a general principle, the legal structure of an NGO, INGO, or NPO is irrelevant for their tax exemption: they […]

Matrimonial property is divided before the estate is calculated. This is indispensable for the start of the inheritance process. Calculating the acquired property results in the ‘surplus’. This is divided equally between the spouses.

Each canton has different tax rules for inheritance, legacies and gifts. You can save rather a lot of money if you know the tax exemptions and reductions. So it is worth taking a look at the regulations for your canton.

When one parent dies, the children are usually entitled to a share of the estate. However, if this is not applicable, the surviving spouse can be favoured to the maximum or granted a usufruct.

A holographic will is easy and cheap to draw up. One reason why it is so popular in Switzerland is because it is easy to update. It can be stored either at home or with a cantonal authority.

Besides handwritten and oral (emergency) wills, the law also recognises the notarised variant. This offers advantages that can mostly pay off when circumstances are complicated or an estate is valuable.

In Switzerland, the cantons and municipalities can set and collect their own taxes. One of these cantonal taxes is inheritance tax. These can vary greatly from canton to canton.

The Child and Adult Protection Authority (“CAPA”) ensures the protection of persons who are unable to take care of their needs themselves. The goal is the mildest restriction to personal freedom, which is imperative for the protection of individuals.

If the deceased person has no relatives, the municipality initially organises the funeral. However, if it turns out that the deceased person does have relatives, they will be charged with the funeral costs.

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

Contracts don’t just automatically end when a loved one passes away. So it is important to notify contractors and properly terminate contracts. In the event of death, there are special termination options in some cases.

When a testator dies, you must report the death to all institutions and banks. The post office is also to be informed of the death. We recommend leaving a bank account open for settling the estate.

When we hear the word loan, we think of a bank loan. But money is also regularly lent within families or between friends. However, not many people think about what happens if the borrower dies. This could prove to be an expensive mistake.

Rechtlich wird ein Haustier zumeist wie eine Sache behandelt. Es gibt aber im Interesse des Tierwohls Sonderregeln, die sowohl zu Lebzeiten als auch im Todesfall gelten. Was der Tod von Halterin oder Halter für Hund, Katze etc. bedeutet, und wie dafür vorgesorgt werden kann, zeigen wir Ihnen in diesem Text auf.

leaving a legacy, they can give an organisation the right to a part of their estate but without giving them status as heir. Testators can also leave their free quota to non-profit organisations in a will or a contract of succession. By

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.

The will is drawn up by the testator without the involvement of possible heirs or legatees. This can be a sensitive matter as the will is only effective after the death of the testator. Formal requirements are therefore imposed by law to protect all parties involved.

After the death of a loved one, an inheritance and the community of heirs face each other. But who gets what only becomes clear when the estate is divided. What happens if the heirs disagree on the distribution of the estate?