Will

Is making a French will the right choice for multiple property owners?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

Can French wills be typed as opposed to handwritten?

The rules depends on who is writing it

What is key information needed in ‘simple will’ written in France?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

news

Do New Zealand rules apply to wife’s estate in France if she died intestate?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

Is an Australian will legally binding in France?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

I live alone, what happens to my French estate when I die?

There are a number of required tasks which must be undertaken following a death

Does my will need to be in English and French?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

What are rules for Britons and donation entre epoux in France?

Matthew Cameron, partner with Ashtons Legal, answers a reader query

French wills and inheritance: what if we die together with no executor?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

Where do we pay house inheritance tax in France?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

Why have French notaires said my husband’s UK will is not valid?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

Does my late father's UK will need a notaire in France?

Rules vary dependent upon the assets addressed within a will

Tips for making a will in France without a notaire

We also cover ways to store your will securely and how foreigners can make different options to French residents

French inheritance law complaints: EU misses decision deadline

Complaints against France’s forced heirship rule on foreign wills remain unanswered one year on

What is France’s certificate of inheritance, when do I need it?

The certificate is one of the options in simple inheritance cases, where smaller sums and no real estate are involved

Leave a tax-efficient legacy to charity with French and UK assets

Partner article: Be aware of a post-Brexit quirk in how charity bequests are taxed, warns John Kitching of French Law Consultancy

13 things you can do through a French notaire apart from buy a house

A notaire can help with much more than property purchases in France - some services are free

How to prepare French assets after family death from another country?

Matthew Cameron of Ashtons Legal answers a reader query on how to prepare for death in the family when living in different countries

Can I change the will on shared estate after the death of my partner?

Matthew Cameron of Ashtons Legal answers a reader query on the inheritance procedure when one of the spouse’s die

How can I make my French will easier for my UK family to administer?

Partner article: We steer you through the tax implications and how to navigate potential language barriers

How to get round the French inheritance law on reserved heirs

Partner article: We guide you through your options, from a tontine clause to usufruit and the droit viager d’usage et d’habitation

What happens to my French family home if I do not make a will?

We look at what the authorities will do with the property of a deceased person who left no instructions

What happens to my French estate if I do not make any plans?

There is a system in place for dividing up your possessions, money and property for this situation

What is the best way of dividing assets in a French will?

Partner article: We guide you through key inheritance tax considerations and explain how named beneficiaries take an active part in the succession

EU to review legality of recent French law on children’s inheritance

A British woman has made an official complaint against recent changes on forced heirship rules

What could you do to ease effects of France’s 2021 inheritance law?

A French law on children's forced heirship rights is causing concern for some residents of France, including Britons and Americans; we look at options to help protect against it

How can I leave my French property to my second wife?

Recent changes to French inheritance law make it more difficult to leave French assets to a partner when you have children from a previous marriage

Does a UK will suffice for a French/English couple living in France?

Partner article: We guide you through at the relevant succession regulation – and consider the implications of inheritance tax

Will our marriage regime affect the French property left in our will?

Partner article: Marriage regimes matter but figuring out which country’s law applies will depend on the date you tied the knot

Families face stress over new French inheritance law and foreign wills

A French lawyer tells of surviving family members worrying about hardship and court battles

Will my UK will ensure my French second home passes to my child?

We look into the advantages of creating a second will for French assets

Does Brexit have implications for a will involving my French home?

Since Brexit second-home owners should be wary of possible pitfalls in managing their wills

As a widow, do I need a French will to ensure house goes to children?

We look into whether a UK will is sufficient to pass on a second home to chosen inheritors

What are the rules on French handwritten wills?

Partner article: We explain how to make an olographe will and avoid common mistakes that testators often make.

French inheritance: What widow/widower must do to stay in shared home

Surviving spouses can stay in a property belonging to their deceased partner even if they are not named in the will, but they have just one year to register their wish to do so

French inheritance law: Can I override en tontine clause on my house?

Partner article: An ' en tontine' clause may affect the usual succession process and who will inherit a property

Can I destroy my old will now I have a French one that elects UK law?

Partner article: French wills electing UK inheritance law on an estate do not always include vital information. Check before destroying your old will.

Can I simplify my wills for my properties in the UK and France?

Partner article: John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query how to write a will that includes your property in France and in the UK

How does it work when you have a will in the UK and in France?

Sophie Hearle of Ashtons Legal answers a reader query on how the assets of French residents will be taxed after death

Should I make a new will before 'full' Brexit?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on making a will and inheritance laws after Brexit

What happens to my estate in France if I do not make a will?

If France is your permanent habitual residence, French intestacy law will be applied if you die without a will

How to make a French will: Essential rules and nine pitfalls to avoid

It is possible to write your French will without witnesses but it is important to get it right

International wills can be misleading

Partner article: What happens when an international will is drawn up without specifying that English not French law should apply?

Death of a family member in France: Steps to take in days after

From declaring the death to organising a funeral to dealing with the will, we look at the procedures to be carried out

Estate planning in France and how to benefit your family

Partner article: Answering your frequently asked questions on estate planning for British expatriates in France

What is a ‘certificate of heredity’ in France and how do I get one?

A certificat d’hérédité can help partners and family members manage a deceased person’s estate where a person has died without making a will, but is now often replaced by alternatives

Inheritance France: 'Law of nationality' wishes at risk in some wills

A new law will apply where the deceased was a citizen or resident of the EU and affects the rights of children

How to include a French holiday home in a UK will?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on options for those with property in France but living and building a will in the UK

Can we set up a French will via the internet?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on setting up a French will online

Will in French ‘not valid’ if foreign writer does not speak language

A rough translation document accompanying the will could not be considered viable as it was not hand-written by the testator, a ruling by France’s highest appeal court has said

Can we opt for the law of our nationality when drawing up our wills?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on electing the law of your nationality

Do I need to register my handwritten will in France?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on what to do with a handwritten will in France

Is an English will still valid for French residents?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on English wills being accepted as valid under French law

Is the English will of a French resident valid in France?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about the validity of an English will in France.

Can I leave French house to my partner, not my daughter?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about leaving property to a partner, not a relative.

What to do when French and English lawyers disagree

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about disagreements between your lawyers.

If I gain dual nationality will French law apply to my will?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about nationality and wills.

Can an English couple make a will together?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about creating a will as a couple.

Can we disinherit a child and exclude them from our estate?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about disinheriting a child and excluding them from a French/English will.

Must an English will be registered in France?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query.

Can a child be excluded from a French/English will?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about excluding a child from a will.

What effect does Brexit have on UK/French inheritance laws?

Every other day, we share a reader question from our help guide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question is about Brexit's effect on inheritance laws in France and the UK.

French inheritance law and wills: Leaving money to charity

Every other day, we share a reader question from our helpguide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question: How do I leave money to charity?

Inheritance law and wills in France: Leaving money to a pet

Every other day, we share a reader question from our helpguide, Inheritance Law and Wills in France. Today's question: Can I leave money to my pet?

Discretionary trusts and wills in France, explained

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query.

Does Brexit mean I must make new will choosing English law?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on Brexit and wills.

Hospital stays: what is a personne de confiance?

Patients who go into hospital for an extended stay are always asked if they have named a personne de confiance . What does it mean?

FAQs in our Wills and Inheritance Law in France guide

Order your copy of Connexion's Wills and Inheritance Law in France helpguide by clicking here

Small French village gifted surprise €14m legacy

A small village in southern France has been unexpectedly gifted €14 million after a businessman who used to spend his childhood holidays there left the fortune in his will.

Only 10% make wills in France

Only 10% of estates in France are dealt with via a will, according to recent figures – and yet in several cases a will is vital if you want to ensure your wishes are followed after you die.

Implications of acquiring French nationality on will

Last week I received notification that my wife and I are now both dual nationals, not just British but newly French. We have been living in France for over 30 years. Some time ago we opted for our wills to be considered under the English system; can you say if acquiring French nationality means this option is no longer applicable – and should we make new wills? P.B.

Can you decipher this message?

Artist appeals for help translating mysterious message left by her late father

Will UK will still apply in France?

My wife and I have lived in France for nine years. When in England we had a will giving inheritance to the survivor and then in equal shares to our two daughters in the UK. We have not made any arrangements in France to adopt English inheritance. Could you explain what would happen if one of us died?

Must I upgrade my UK will for France?

I am updating my will (held in the UK) and am advised that to cover my wishes for my French property (my main and only home), I must take out a French will through a French notaire. Do you agree?

Do we need French and UK wills?

We are married with three children from my husband’s first marriage. I have no children. We bought our home in France in 2006 and included a tontine clause. We have made a will in England excluding all property and assets elsewhere. Do we still need to make a will in France, excluding everything in England, or can we now include the French property in our English will? We are French (tax) residents.

Will

Is making a French will the right choice for multiple property owners?

Can French wills be typed as opposed to handwritten?

What is key information needed in ‘simple will’ written in France?

Do New Zealand rules apply to wife’s estate in France if she died intestate?

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Is an Australian will legally binding in France?

I live alone, what happens to my French estate when I die?

Does my will need to be in English and French?

What are rules for Britons and donation entre epoux in France?

French wills and inheritance: what if we die together with no executor?

Where do we pay house inheritance tax in France?

Why have French notaires said my husband’s UK will is not valid?

Does my late father's UK will need a notaire in France?

Tips for making a will in France without a notaire

French inheritance law complaints: EU misses decision deadline

How does France’s 2021 law affect wills choosing foreign legal rules?

How does a French will affect UK assets?

Can I write my own will in English in France?

What is France’s certificate of inheritance, when do I need it?

Will French step-children inherit my estate?

Lawyers in France frustrated over new wills law

Is an English ‘Lasting Power of Attorney’ valid in France?

Make end-of-life wishes known with a French ‘living will’

Is a UK will from 27 years ago still valid in France?

Leave a tax-efficient legacy to charity with French and UK assets

13 things you can do through a French notaire apart from buy a house

How to prepare French assets after family death from another country?

Can I change the will on shared estate after the death of my partner?

How can I make my French will easier for my UK family to administer?

How to get round the French inheritance law on reserved heirs

What happens to my French family home if I do not make a will?

What happens to my French estate if I do not make any plans?

What is the best way of dividing assets in a French will?

EU to review legality of recent French law on children’s inheritance

What could you do to ease effects of France’s 2021 inheritance law?

How can I leave my French property to my second wife?

Does a UK will suffice for a French/English couple living in France?

Will our marriage regime affect the French property left in our will?

Families face stress over new French inheritance law and foreign wills

Will my UK will ensure my French second home passes to my child?

Does Brexit have implications for a will involving my French home?

As a widow, do I need a French will to ensure house goes to children?

What are the rules on French handwritten wills?

French inheritance: What widow/widower must do to stay in shared home

French inheritance law: Can I override en tontine clause on my house?

Can I destroy my old will now I have a French one that elects UK law?

Can I simplify my wills for my properties in the UK and France?

How does it work when you have a will in the UK and in France?

Should I make a new will before 'full' Brexit?

What happens to my estate in France if I do not make a will?

How to make a French will: Essential rules and nine pitfalls to avoid

International wills can be misleading

Death of a family member in France: Steps to take in days after

Estate planning in France and how to benefit your family

What is a ‘certificate of heredity’ in France and how do I get one?

Inheritance France: 'Law of nationality' wishes at risk in some wills

How to include a French holiday home in a UK will?

Can we set up a French will via the internet?

Will in French ‘not valid’ if foreign writer does not speak language

Can we opt for the law of our nationality when drawing up our wills?

Do I need to register my handwritten will in France?

Is an English will still valid for French residents?

Is the English will of a French resident valid in France?

Can I leave French house to my partner, not my daughter?

What to do when French and English lawyers disagree

If I gain dual nationality will French law apply to my will?

Can an English couple make a will together?

Can we disinherit a child and exclude them from our estate?

Must an English will be registered in France?

Can a child be excluded from a French/English will?

What effect does Brexit have on UK/French inheritance laws?

French inheritance law and wills: Leaving money to charity