Inheritance lawyer in Vienna
Inheritance matters often involve substantial assets as well as difficult family situations. This makes an individual legal assessment particularly important.
I advise and represent you in all major areas of inheritance law, from forward-looking estate planning and probate proceedings to litigation between heirs and persons entitled to a compulsory share.
Inheritance disputes and compulsory-share claims
A particular focus is on enforcing and defending inheritance-related claims. I represent you in particular in:
- disputes over succession;
- enforcing and defending compulsory-share claims;
- disputes over the validity or interpretation of a will;
- disputes between co-heirs;
- disputes concerning lifetime gifts and how they are accounted for under inheritance law;
- enforcing or defending other claims connected with an estate.
In contested estates, it is especially important to examine wills, contracts, earlier gifts and the development of the deceased's assets carefully.
Wills and estate planning
Many later inheritance disputes can be avoided by making clear arrangements in good time. I advise on estate planning and assist particularly with:
- drafting and reviewing wills and other testamentary dispositions;
- structuring lifetime gifts and transfers;
- gifts effective on death;
- waivers of inheritance and compulsory-share rights;
- calculating and accounting for compulsory-share claims;
- structuring succession to family assets;
- preparing business and enterprise transfers.
This is about more than recording your final wishes in the correct legal form. Good estate planning should also consider potential compulsory-share claims, earlier gifts, property holdings and possible family conflicts.
Calculating and enforcing a compulsory share
Compulsory shares are among the most frequent sources of inheritance disputes. I examine whether a claim exists and its amount, which assets are relevant to the calculation, and whether earlier gifts made by the deceased must be taken into account.
I also represent heirs facing compulsory-share claims where it is necessary to establish whether those claims exist and have been correctly calculated.
Probate proceedings and declarations of acceptance of inheritance
I also advise and represent you during Austrian probate proceedings (Verlassenschaftsverfahren), particularly on:
- statutory and testamentary succession;
- interpretation of testamentary dispositions;
- making a conditional or unconditional declaration of acceptance of inheritance (Erbantrittserklärung);
- liability risks associated with an estate;
- disputes between competing claimants to an inheritance;
- assets and liabilities of the estate.
The type of declaration you make can have substantial legal and financial consequences. This decision should not be rushed, particularly if the estate's financial position is unclear.
Property and inheritance
Real estate frequently plays a central role in inheritance. My work in both property and inheritance law enables me to handle cases where these fields overlap, including:
- inherited houses and apartments;
- joint ownership of property by several heirs;
- transfers and gifts of property;
- disputes over a property's value;
- partition of inherited property;
- compulsory-share claims involving real estate assets.
When several heirs become joint owners of a property, disputes about its use, sale or a partition action can quickly arise alongside inheritance issues.
Personal advice on inheritance law
Inheritance problems can often be resolved more easily if the rights involved and the options still available are examined early. I advise on both preventive estate planning and existing inheritance disputes and probate proceedings, and represent your interests out of court and in litigation.
Contact me for an initial assessment of your inheritance matter.