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International inheritances

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My spouse, with whom I had been living separately for several years, has just passed away. He had no children, and I have learned that he left all his assets to the Red Cross. Is this legal ?

No. Despite your years of separation, you still retain the status of "entitled spouse" (Article 732 of the Civil Code). In the absence of children, the law provides that you are entitled to at least 1/4 of his estate (Article 914-1 of the Civil Code). Therefore, you are entitled to…
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My father passed away a long time ago. My paternal grandfather has just passed away. My brother and I are his heirs. Can each of us benefit from the €100,000 tax allowance applicable to children?

No. When an heir has predeceased (in this case, your father died before his own father), his heirs represent him in the estate to be settled. For the mechanism of representation to apply, there must be a plurality of branches (in practical terms, your father would have needed to have…
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My partner to whom I was not married has passed away. He had entered into a mandate for future protection and appointed our daughter as mandatary. This convention has never been implemented. Can my daughter invoke it to settle the estate on her own?

No. The purpose of the mandate for future protection is to allow a designated person (the mandatary) to represent the mandator who could no longer provide for his interests alone (article 477 of the Civil Code). This mandate ends on the death of the principal, whether it has been implemented…
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My aunt has died. She made several wills. In a will dated 2018, she left me her house and the furniture in it. In a second will dated 2019, she left her furniture to her sister. Will I inherit the furniture in the house?

No. The most recent will, even if it does not expressly revoke previous wills, revokes earlier provisions that are incompatible with or contrary to the new provisions (Article 1036 of the French Civil Code).
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I am sole legatee in an estate with no children or spouse. The notary says he will send a copy of the holographic will to the court registry. Is that necessary?

Yes. When the will is handwritten and there is no protected heir (child or surviving spouse), the notary must draw up a report of opening and description. Within one month he must send it, with a copy of the will, to the court registry so that “ any interested party…
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