Inheritance

Many issues can arise with a foreign Will in Greece. Often times a U.S. (or Common Law) Will does not comply with the Greek inheritance system. Concepts such as "Accepting" ones inheritance, or proving that a Greek Will does "not exist", are unfamiliar, but necessary concepts within the Greek Civil Law system. These cross jurisdictional issues can be addressed with clear step by step directions pertaining to your case or situation.

Some of the specific issues we routinely handle for our clients are as follows:

  • Wills - tracking and identifying if there is a will that has been registered with the Greek Courts (archives).
    1. Or, in the alternative, obtaining certificates that no Greek Will has been registered and no documents are on file, under the deceased's name in the Court's archives. Certificates obtained are necessary for the acceptance procedure.
    2. Certified translation of foreign Wills- certified translators qualified and capable of translating legal documents here in Athens.
    3. Consulting on draft of foreign Will including Greek property (trusts, testamentary wills, and pour over Wills) there can be significant problems with a pour over Will in Greece which includes Greek property that is placed into a trust. This is a cross jurisdictional issue. Working with local attorneys to help in creating a "Will within a Will." (Please see both Trust page and article Trusts in Greece; Damaging One's Title to Land).
  • Inheritance
    1. Working with local Greek attorneys to: identify the heirs, identifying the hereditary property, and its legal tax status, researching at the local tax office, verifying tax status of hereditary properties (verifying taxes owed, administrative court lawsuits in cases of wrongful taxation).
  • Accepting the Inheritance
    1. Obtaining Certificates an extensive series of certificates are needed and issued by various administrative and court agencies. These must be ordered, picked up and filed along with your other legal documents in order for you to be named as the current owner of the hereditary property. Along with filing Inheritance Tax Declarations on your behalf (tax forms declaring hereditary properties and calculations of property tax values, taxable share of the estate and entitlement deductions) by working with Greek notary and attorney.
    2. Notarial Acceptance of Inheritance - This document describes in detail the hereditary shares of the properties and assets and it then is registered at the title offices. Through a Power of Attorney it can be signed on your behalf.
  • Representing the Heirs- through Powers of Attorney- drafted for this purpose for all your needs.
  • Registering the Acceptance Deeds with the appropriate title office and the new Land Registry. Preparing and filing E9s for the heirs declaring their properties to the Greek State, under the new names. Working with a certified accountant and licensed attorney towards that purpose.
  • If heirs unable to travel to liquidate estate- can arrange for removal of estate items (either through antique outlets or re-homing older items) -prepare property for sale or rental- depending on the wishes of the heir(s).