Author
Abraam Kosmidis
Lawyer since 1992
Commercial Law, Company Law,
Business Start-up, Mergers & Acquisitions, Real Estate Law
Whether you are looking to pass on property in Greece to family abroad or stand to receive an inheritance in Greece: KPAG Kosmidis & Partners is your experienced Greek inheritance lawyer in Athens, Thessaloniki and all of Greece with a specialization in cross-border legal advice. We have been supporting private clients in all matters of Greek inheritance law since 1992 and know how to help you navigate local regulations.
Kosmidis & Partner is your specialised Greek inheritance lawyer for international legal issues – contact us and learn more about how we can represent you and your interests in Greece.
The Greek inheritance law is regulated by the Greek Civil Code, Art. 1710 – 2035. It is quite similar to French and German inheritance law, but it is very different from English and American inheritance law.
A person can decide what will become of their property by leaving a will. The Greek inheritance law allows for three ways to create a legally valid will:
The notary public or any person who has access to a deceased person’s handwritten will, is obliged to notify the court about the existence of the Greek will inheritance and submit the original document. The Greek Probate Court is obliged to make it public, so that every person having an interest in its contents can have access to it.
If the deceased has not left a will of any kind, if the will is void for any reason or settles only a part of the deceased persons property, intestacy rules will be applied. The legal heirs are organized by Greek inheritance law into 6 categories, called “classes”:
It is worth mentioning that in case a will does not leave a share in the property to either the spouse, the children, or the parents of the decedent (in the last case only if they did not have any children), then these relatives have a right by Greek inheritance law to claim a minimum share of the inheritance. This is called “nomimi moira”, which in case of intestacy equals half of the inheritance share. If the deceased had made any donations to each of the above heirs while living and if these donations cover their minimum share, the right to nomimi moira can be lost. As your Greek inheritance lawyer, we can advise you on all of these and many other matters concerning your inheritance.
This is very important, since according to Greek private international law, a deceased person’s estate is regulated by the law of the country of his last citizenship.
Our law firm in Athens and Thessaloniki has been supporting private clients and businesses from all over the world for many years. Whether it be Greek inheritance law, tax law, corporate law or Greek real estate law – our lawyers in Greece will help you navigate the Greek legal system. As renowned experts in our field we also assist you when buying a house in Greece and offer you legal translations as well as the support of our widespread network consisting of notaries, construction engineers and further professionals.
Get in touch with a lawyer in Athens or Thessaloniki to help you settle all cross-border matters. A specialized Greek inheritance lawyer will be glad to assist you!