Wills for French Estates

French laws of succession protect the inheritance of a child. For many years only French law dictated the rules on the distribution of many assets located in France even where the owner wasn't residing in France. 

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A big change happened in 2015, with the EU Succession Regulation 650/2012, giving different choices for many people on what succession rules could govern their estate when there are assets located in the EU. This led to an important need for people to review their Will and make changes where appropriate. 

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A recent French law change in 2021 has again highlighted how important it is to keep an ongoing review of your Will. 

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Today, for many people French succession laws might not have to dictate who inherits your French assets. If you are a British national, you could now declare that you want the laws of England and Wales to apply (testamentary freedom). But it's not going to be the best choice for everyone.  

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If you haven't updated your Will recently it might be that you are not making best use of the choices you have available today. 

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We believe that Wills cannot be considered separate from knowing how the inheritance tax rules will apply. Choices made in your Will about who inherits your assets, and how they inherit, could have a big impact on how much inheritance tax is due to be paid on your estate. Careful thought is needed. 

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Each person's position needs to be looked at individually. There is no "one size fits all" concept here! We can review your current position, take note of your own objectives and tailor our advice for you. We can advise on whether a "British" Will can cover your whole estate or whether a separate French Will would be beneficial. We can provide illustrative inheritance tax calculations, to ensure that you really are making an informed decision about what is best for you. 

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