Intestate and testamentary succession – who inherits how much?
When someone dies, there are often difficult questions regarding the estate of the deceased. In addition to will, intestate succession can help to clarify these.
Alexandra Zeiter, specialist lawyer for inheritance law: “I see a lot of family stories.”
Alexandra Zeiter advises people on how to write wills, represents relatives who are about to lose their inheritance and supports NGOs who have to fight for their money. The specialist lawyer for inheritance law and lecturer at the University of Zurich also took NGOs into account in her own will.
Favouring the surviving spouse
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.
Bequeathing a non-profit organisation – donation by will
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
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.
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.