| Notaires de France

Yes. For a mortgage to be valid it must be executed by notarial deed (Civil Code, Article 2409). The notary handles registration and publication with the land registry service. The mortgage then becomes enforceable against third parties. The notary must practice in France if the property is located in France…

No. Once granted, adoption is irrevocable (Civil Code, Article 359). However, Article 345-2 paragraph 2 of the Civil Code provides two exceptions: • A new adoption is possible if the adoptive parents have died. • A simple adoption may be granted for a child already fully adopted if there are…

No. The insurer cannot charge fees for fulfilling its legal search obligations (Insurance Code, Article L.132-5, para. 3, final part).

Yes. Insurance companies must check at least once a year whether insured persons have died (Article L.132-9-3 of the French Insurance Code); to do so they consult the National Register for the Identification of Natural Persons (RNIPP). If the insured has died, they must then search for the beneficiaries of…

Inheritance tax can represent a significant financial burden for heirs when they inherit from a brother or sister.

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The mandatory primary matrimonial regime is the body of rules that establishes the minimum rights and obligations of spouses. These rules apply whether the spouses have entered a marriage contract.

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Marriage does not result in any change to either spouse’s family name (birth name), which they retain throughout their life. This name will appear on all official identification documents, even where those documents are renewed after the marriage.

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Learn how the warranty against eviction protects buyers in all real estate sales, including its scope, legal basis under French law, and key exception.

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Yes. In the absence of a tax treaty between France and Portugal governing inheritance taxation, the French tax authorities will tax all assets located in France and abroad (Art. 750 ter 3° CGI). However, inheritance taxes paid abroad may be credited against the tax due in France (Art. 784 A…

In principle, no. Case law generally limits actions for delivery of a legacy to a five-year period from the date of death (Art. 2224 Civil Code; Cass. 1st Civ., 21 June 2023, No. 21-20.396 FS-B).

Inheritance tax exemption between siblings: The conditions

Marriage: Spouses’ rights and obligations - the mandatory primary matrimonial regime

Marriage and spouses’ names: the use of a spouse’s surname

Real Estate Sales: Warranty Against Eviction

I am taking out a loan, and the bank requires a mortgage to be registered on my property. For cost reasons I would like the bank to handle the formalities. My notary says this is impossible. Is that true?

I was adopted (full adoption) several years ago. I no longer get along with my adoptive parents and wish to end the adoption. Is this possible?

My father has just died. I am the beneficiary of a life insurance policy he had taken out. The insurance company is charging me for “carrying out its search obligations.” Is it allowed to do so?

My father has just passed away. I know he had taken out a life insurance policy naming me as beneficiary, but I don’t know the name of the insurer. Are insurers required to search for beneficiaries?

My father lived in Portugal and died there. I am his sole heir, and my tax residence is in France. Am I liable for inheritance tax in France?

I am a specific legatee of a man who died in 2018. In 2019, I requested delivery of the legacy from his widow, who did not respond. Can I still claim my legacy?