• Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Ask a question
  • NL
  • EN
+31 (0)70 3615048
GMW lawyers
  • Lawyers
  • Expertise
    • Employment & Pension
      • Employment law
      • Pension law
      • Discrimination law
      • Immigration law
    • Family & Inheritance
      • Family law
      • Divorce law
      • Inheritance law
      • Estate planning
    • Property & Tenancy
      • Property law
      • Tenancy law
      • Administrative law
    • Company & Insolvency
      • Corporate law
      • Commercial contracts
      • Financing and securities
      • Restructuring and Bankruptcy
      • Intellectual property
    • Liability
      • Personal injury law
      • Law of liability
      • Directors’ liability
    • Art & Culture
      • Agreements
      • Due diligence
      • Import / export
      • Art litigation
      • Art recovery
  • Articles
  • Downloads
  • About us
    • International
    • Vacancies
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Menu
  • Lawyers
  • Expertise
  • Articles
  • About us
  • +31 (0)70 3615048
  • Ask a question
  • NL

Inheritance law

Settling an inheritance is not always simple. Inheritance law is a specialist area of ​​law with a multitude of its own special rules. In addition, the complexity of family relationships has increased considerably in recent years, due to the increasing number of stepparents, stepchildren or half-brothers and sisters. This also ensures that there are numerous questions about the legal position of (non-) heirs in the settlement of the estate.

Legal inheritance

With the introduction of the new inheritance law in 2003, the legal inheritance is more in line with the situation that was most frequently chosen when drafting a will: the parental division of assets, also known as the “surviving will”. If no will is made, the law has been applicable to spouses with children since 2003. This means that the spouse legally receives the property from the estate. The children receive a claim for money from the spouse (which can only be claimed after certain conditions have entered into force). The amount of the monetary claim corresponds to the value of the inheritance. If someone dies without leaving behind a husband, the children first inherit, then the parents and brothers and sisters, and finally the grandparents and great-grandparents.

Last will & testament

By making a will, it is possible to deviate from the legal inheritance. For example, husbands and children can be disinherited by will. The disinherited spouse inherits nothing, the disinherited children by right acquire a right to a “legitimate portion.” The legitimate portion is a certain part of the estate that belongs to the children after the death of one of their parents, regardless of what the testator determined by testament.

Settlement of the inheritance

A common question is whether the settlement of the inheritance takes place correctly. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Sometimes there is a lack of openness and information. This can lead to distrust and doubt. In addition, heirs often do not know what their rights and duties are or what the rules are that an executor or liquidator must abide by.

International inheritance

As an international living in the Netherlands, navigating your way through inheritance law can be even more difficult. Our inheritance lawyers understand the specific needs of expats, and can help you to simplify inheritance law and what it means for you.

Looking for an inheritance lawyer in The Hague?

GMW lawyers is happy to assist you with its specialist knowledge and experience in the field of inheritance law. You can contact us by phone, email, or submit your question online.

Articles

Inheritance law for expats in Netherlands
30 June 2019/by Marieke Morshuis

Inheritance law for expats in the Netherlands

Inheritance is fundamentally a difficult subject to think about,…
Innheritance day
8 March 2019/by Sieta Autar-Matawlie

Inheritance Day 2019 – what it is and why it matters

De verdeling van internationale nalatenschappen bij echtscheiding
6 July 2016/by Sieta Autar-Matawlie

Estate planning: looking after your assets and family

Verzwijgen-en-verbergen-van-de-erfenis
9 April 2015/by Sieta Autar-Matawlie

Your digital legacy

Ik ben onterfd door (een van) mijn ouders, wat nu?
17 March 2014/by Marieke Morshuis

European regulation will change international inheritance law

Lawyers

Thijs Sarneel

Marieke Morshuis

Ryanne van Manen

Sieta Autar-Matawlie

Dylan Bertsch

GMW lawyers logo

Scheveningseweg 52, 2517 KW
The Hague

  • Employment & Pension law
  • Family & Inheritance law
  • Property & Tenancy law
  • Company & Insolvency law
  • Liability law
  • Art & Culture law
  • Bought a house with defectsSo you bought a house with defects – what now?4 December 2019 - 17:01
  • Indexation of alimony 2020Statutory indexation of child and spousal alimony 20206 November 2019 - 11:00
  • De-aangetekende-brief-achterhaaldHas the registered letter become obsolete?6 November 2019 - 10:42
  • Privacy policy website & mailings
  • General Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Submission of a complaint
  • Rates
© Copyright 2019 GMW lawyers | All Rights Reserved
Scroll to top

Your privacy

GMW advocaten takes your privacy seriously. We store a few cookies in your browser that make the website function correctly.

Privacy statement
Close