My wife has passed away, and she had a child from a previous relationship. Can I inherit the usufruct of her entire estate?

No. If there is no spousal gift (also known as a “gift to the last living”), the law provides that the surviving spouse may only claim one-quarter of the estate in full ownership when the deceased leaves children from another union (Art. 757 Civil Code). Good to know: a spousal…
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I am considering donating shares of an SCI (real estate company) to my children. Does this donation fall under the urban pre-emption right?

No. The urban pre-emption right allows public authorities (municipalities, local communities, etc.) to substitute themselves for the buyer or donee in the case of a transfer of property, such as a sale or donation (Art. L210-1 et seq., Urban Planning Code). Exception: there is no pre-emption right when the donation…
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Is there a deadline for my mother to make known her choice regarding the inheritance of my father (her husband)?

No, unless expressly requested. The law provides no time limit for the surviving spouse to choose between the available inheritance options (in the presence of joint children: ¼ full ownership or full usufruct). However, an heir may ask the surviving spouse in writing to exercise their option. If the spouse…
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I am the legatee of a sum of money in the estate of a friend. I have been waiting eight months for the payment. The notary says he must wait for the children’s approval. Why?

When the deceased leaves a specific legacy (a legatee receiving precisely designated items) and has children (forced heirs), the legatee must request delivery of the legacy from them (Art. 1014 Civil Code) to take possession of the inheritance.
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My husband has just passed away. Must I file a declaration of inheritance even though I am exempt from inheritance tax?

It depends. You are exempt from filing an inheritance declaration if the gross estate assets (i.e., all your late husband’s assets without deducting debts) are valued at less than €50,000 and if he did not make any unregistered gifts to you (Art. 800 Tax Code).
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I own an undivided share of a co-owned apartment. Do all co-owners of the undivided share have the right to attend the general meeting of the co-ownership?

No. Article 23, paragraph 2, of Law No. 65-557 of 10 July 1965 provides that “in the case of joint ownership, the co-owners must be represented by a common representative.” You must therefore choose who will attend the meeting. If no agreement is reached, the president of the judicial court…
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I am under guardianship and wish to get married. My guardian says he will have a marriage contract drawn up by a notary, even though I do not want one. Can he do that?

Yes. Since the law of 23 March 2019, a protected adult (under guardianship, curatorship, etc.) no longer needs to obtain a judge’s authorization to marry. Only the curator or guardian must be informed of the intended marriage (Art. 460 Civil Code). However, the guardian may request the judge’s authorization to…
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In 2018, the municipality chose not to exercise its right of pre-emption during the sale of my property. Today, after my buyer withdrew, I am putting my property back on the market. Does the urban pre-emption right apply again?

Yes. The law provides that when the seller has not sold their property within three years following the municipality’s decision not to exercise its pre-emption right, the municipality regains this right (Art. L213-8, paragraphe 2, Urban Planning Code).
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I purchased an apartment a year ago. Before my purchase, the co-owners allocated common parking spaces among themselves, but the deeds were not registered. Are these decisions enforceable against me?

Yes… but. The new allocation of parking spaces should have been formalised through an amendment to the descriptive statement of division, which must normally be registered with the Land Registry (Law No. 65-557 of 10 July 1965, Article 13). If it was not registered, this amendment is enforceable against you…
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