Your notary for inheritance law and wills in Cologne

A clear last will and testament through a testament or contract of inheritance avoids disputes among heirs. Statutory inheritance law is often no longer suitable for today’s living situation. In addition to the spouse, the testator’s biological descendants inherit and together form a community of heirs. In modern times, however, many couples not only have children together, but often the spouses also have children from previous relationships. Here, according to the statutory law of succession, chance would decide whose children receive which share of the estate. You can solve these problems by making a last will (testament or contract of inheritance).

A testament can be made by anyone. It can be privately written or notarised. The private will must be written in the person’s own hand, signed and marked with the place and date. Spouses may also make a joint private will. However, you can be on the safe side with a notarial will or contract of inheritance. A will drawn up by a notary is usually made by an individual or by spouses, the inheritance contract regulates the right of inheritance between any persons in a contractually binding manner. The contract of inheritance is open to both spouses and civil partners and binding arrangements between parents and children and, since the fee for court custody is waived, is less expensive than a joint will drawn up by a notary.

The core of any testamentary disposition is the advice given by the notary. In a joint discussion with your notary, your ideas and wishes will be guided in advance by the notary to a legally impeccable arrangement. Only when the regulations correspond to your wishes will the will drawn up by your notary or the contract of inheritance drawn up by your notary be notarised.

In this process, inheritance regulations can be made in the contract of inheritance in a binding manner, i.e. unalterable by the longer-lived contracting party; however, these bindings can also be structured in a graduated manner or canceled altogether.

The costs of a testamentary disposition depend on the net value of the assets. For example, the notarisation of a testamentary contract, including the preceding consultation, costs approximately Euro 600 net for a joint asset of Euro 100,000. It must be taken into account that a certificate of inheritance (court certificate on the succession) is not required if the testamentary disposition is made before a notary. This certificate of inheritance incurs costs similar to those of a contract of inheritance or a notarial will.

A checklist of information on the contract of inheritance & will is available on request from the notary public in Cologne. Further information on the notary fees incurred can be found here.

As your notary public for inheritance law, we are at your disposal for advice and/or notarisation in the field of inheritance law. We are of course also happy to prepare inheritance law drafts in cooperation with your lawyer.