Will in France - Legal Advice and Assistance

Updated on Monday 07th June 2021

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Making a will in France can be done with the help of our French lawyers. Such a document must contain information about personal property and its distribution in the event of death. If a will is not made, the rules of inheritance already established in France will apply. In this article, we present details on how to make your will in France, helped by one of our advisors. The same team can help foreigners start a business in France.

Making a will according to the laws of France

The spouse and children are the ones who inherit first the family properties, in case of the death of one of the partners. If there is no spouse or children, then the inheritance is further distributed in the family. Here's what you need to know about wills in France:

The European Law adopted in 2015 is valid in France and allows the rules of inheritance in the country of origin to be applied.
Half of the deceased's property is passed on to the child in the family. If two children remain heirs, 1/3 of the assets is given to each.
There are also cases in which there is no marriage certificate, and therefore, one of the partners does not want to leave the inheritance. Therefore, a will is needed to mention this.
In the case of civil partnership, a will is needed to be able to pass on the properties in case of death.

Making a will in France comes to the attention of our French lawyers who can offer you the necessary support to make such a document. We invite you to talk to our team and find out as much detail as possible about our legal services.

How to make a will in France

There is the possibility to make a will both in France, to protect the wealth accumulated in this country, but also in the country of origin if there are other assets to be protected. Even if there are these two possibilities to make a will, it is important to know that French residents will have to obey the laws of this country.

A will in France can be made with the help of our French lawyers and will then be notarized. So, you can call on our team of specialists if you want to make a will in France.

UK citizens and wills in France

In the case of British citizens with a will made and registered in the UK, they can be refused regarding the distribution of assets, if the French law applies. For example, trustees representing the wills of these citizens are not recognized in France, and a 60% tax may be applied to inherited property. Therefore, it is recommended that British citizens living in France follow the rules regarding the creation of a will in this country, in order to be sure that the distribution of properties is done at will. We remind you that our law firm in France is at your disposal with complete information and legal representation if you want to make a will.

Can a will be contested in France?

Yes, even if the will is registered in front of a notary and with FNDDV or Fichier National des Dispositions de Dernieres Volontes en France, such a document can be contested by family members or potential successors.

French citizens who consider their inheritance and distribution to be complicated can be represented by an executor or even by a lawyer in France who can correctly administer the inheritance, depending on what is mentioned in the will.

Choose our French lawyer for legal advice

The legal support of a French lawyer is recommended to citizens who want to make a will and ensure that the assets will be properly distributed in the family. Such a legal representative has experience in making a will in France and can provide the necessary assistance to those who want to register such a document, in order to have the guarantee that the family is protected from this point of view.

The successful collaboration with our clients is based on direct communication, professionalism, efficiency, and transparency from the very beginning. Here are some facts about inheritance in France:

The division of the family fortune in case of death is done equally, 50% for the surviving wife and 50% for the heir child.
If there are two children, each will receive 1/3 of the fortune.
If there are 3 children, then each one has 1/4 of the fortune left by one of the parents.

Find out the legal conditions related to making a will in France, by contacting our law firm in France. We are here to offer the necessary support for French citizens, but also for foreigners interested in creating such a document.