Frequently asked questions about Succession

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My only son has passed away. He was single and had no children. He left a will in which he bequeathed half of his estate to me and the other half to an association. Was he allowed to disinherit his father?

Yes. Under Article 736 of the French Civil Code, when a person dies without children, spouse, or siblings, their estate is divided equally between their parents. However, Article 916 specifies that parents are not protected heirs (héritiers réservataires). Therefore, your son was legally entitled to exclude his father from the…
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I want to give bare ownership of assets to my minor grandchildren and keep the usufruct. If I die before they reach majority, I do not want these assets to be managed by their parents. Is this possible ?

Yes. It is entirely possible to make a donation to your minor grandchildren. This donation must be accepted by their legal administrators (their parents), in accordance with Article 935 of the Civil Code. However, you can specify in the donation act that the donated assets be managed by a third…
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My neighbour bequeathed several real estate properties to me in his will. I only wish to keep some of them. Is this possible?

Yes, provided that a legal heir (as defined by law) accepts the succession. In that case, you may exercise the right of cantonnement, which allows a legatee to limit their acceptance to part of the assets bequeathed. This is permitted under Article 1002-1 of the French Civil Code.
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My widowed mother passed away 15 years ago, and my brother and I never went to a notary to settle her estate. We want to sell her house, but a friend told me that we no longer have the authority to do so. Is this true?

Yes. Upon a person’s death, their heirs have 10 years to declare whether they accept or reject the estate (Article 780, paragraph 1 of the Civil Code). After this period, they are considered to have renounced the estate (Article 780, paragraph 2 of the Civil Code) and therefore no longer…
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