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Estate planning in Vouliagmeni follows Greek national law, primarily the Greek Civil Code and related tax and property laws, applied locally in the Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni. Planning typically covers wills, acceptance or renunciation of inheritances, lifetime transfers such as gifts and parental donations, use of usufruct and bare ownership to manage real estate, and powers of attorney for representation. Greece does not have a domestic trust regime, so arrangements often rely on civil law tools rather than trusts.
For international families and expatriates, the EU Succession Regulation 650-2012 generally applies. It determines which country’s law governs your estate based on habitual residence, unless you choose the law of your nationality in a valid will. Local implementation involves Greek notaries, courts, the Hellenic Cadastre or Land Registry for property, and the tax authority for inheritance or gift tax filings.
You may need a lawyer when your family situation or assets are complex, especially if any of the following apply: you own real estate in Vouliagmeni or elsewhere in Greece and want to structure ownership with usufruct-bare ownership to ease future transfers; you are a foreign national living in Greece and want to choose which law will govern your estate; you have heirs in different countries and need coordination of documentation, translations, and apostille; you wish to plan around forced heirship rules while caring for a spouse or vulnerable beneficiary; you need to accept or renounce an inheritance within strict deadlines and limit liability for the deceased’s debts; you are dealing with probate of a will, publication procedures, and bank account access; you face a dispute among heirs or need a partition of co-owned property; you want to transfer a family business or shares; you need court approvals for minor or incapacitated heirs; you require tax analysis to estimate inheritance or gift tax and compliance steps with the tax authority and Cadastre.
Wills in Greece come in three main forms. A holographic will is handwritten, dated, and signed by the testator. A public will is executed before a notary and witnesses. A secret will is signed by the testator and delivered sealed to a notary in the presence of witnesses. After death, a will is filed for publication by the competent court so it becomes legally effective and can be used to administer the estate.
Forced heirship applies. Certain close relatives are protected heirs and must receive at least a reserved portion. Generally, descendants, the surviving spouse, and in some cases parents are entitled to a forced share that equals half of what they would receive under intestacy. You can only freely dispose of the disposable portion. Any plan that infringes the forced share can be reduced by protected heirs after death.
Without a will, intestate succession applies. The estate passes to classes of relatives in a set order. The surviving spouse inherits along with children if there are children. If there are no descendants, the spouse typically inherits together with parents or siblings of the deceased. Exact shares are set by the Civil Code.
Acceptance or renunciation of inheritance is time sensitive. An heir who resides in Greece generally has 4 months from learning of the death and of their status to renounce at the court registry. If the heir or the deceased was abroad, the period is typically 1 year. Acceptance can be simple or with the benefit of inventory. Acceptance with the benefit of inventory limits your liability to the value of the inherited assets and must be declared in time at court. For minors, acceptance is only with the benefit of inventory and usually requires court approval through their legal representative.
Inheritance tax and gift tax are administered by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue. Deadlines to file an inheritance tax return are generally 6 months when all parties are in Greece and 12 months if any party is abroad. Tax allowances and rates depend on the kinship category and are updated periodically. Lifetime parental donations and gifts are common estate planning tools and have their own tax rules. Always verify the current thresholds before acting.
Real estate requires formalities. To take title to Greek property from an estate, heirs sign a notarial deed of acceptance of inheritance and register it at the Hellenic Cadastre or the local Land Registry. Supporting documents include the death certificate, a family status certificate, proof of tax compliance, and certificates regarding wills. ENFIA property tax certificates are typically required. If you later transfer property, additional certificates may be needed, including engineering or planning compliance certificates, depending on the transaction.
Cross-border matters are common in Vouliagmeni. The EU Succession Regulation allows many foreign residents to choose in their will the law of their nationality. Foreign documents usually require an apostille or consular legalization and an official Greek translation. Greek banks often freeze accounts until probate documents, will publication, and tax compliance certificates are provided.
Marital property and family protections matter. Greece generally follows a separation of property regime between spouses, but the surviving spouse has inheritance rights. Planning for second marriages, stepchildren, and vulnerable family members should be handled carefully to respect forced shares and to avoid future challenges.
Holographic, public, and secret wills are recognized. A public will before a notary is common because it reduces the risk of formal defects and simplifies publication. The best choice depends on your assets, privacy preferences, and whether you need a choice-of-law clause for cross-border estates.
Yes. Under the EU Succession Regulation, most people living in Greece can choose in their will the law of their nationality to govern their entire estate. This can be useful to moderate the impact of Greek forced heirship, but it must be done properly within a valid will.
Forced heirship reserves a minimum portion for protected heirs such as children and the surviving spouse. You may freely dispose only of the balance. If dispositions exceed the disposable portion, protected heirs can claim a reduction to restore their reserved shares.
It is a court declaration that limits your liability for the deceased’s debts to the value of the inheritance. It is advisable when you are unsure about the deceased’s debts or when liabilities may exceed assets. It must be declared within the renunciation period.
Typically 4 months from when you become aware of the death and your status if you are in Greece, or 1 year if you or the deceased were abroad. If you do nothing and the period expires, you may be deemed to have accepted, which can expose you to debts.
Commonly required are the death certificate, family status certificate from the Municipality, will publication documents or certificates that no will exists, tax identification numbers for heirs, inheritance tax filings and payment or clearance certificates, ENFIA certificates, and a notarial deed of acceptance for registration at the Cadastre or Land Registry.
They typically require legalization by apostille or consular legalization and an official Greek translation. The will may need to be published in Greece for probate purposes. Coordination with a Greek notary and lawyer ensures the form and content meet local requirements.
Yes. Parents often transfer bare ownership to children and retain usufruct, allowing continued use while facilitating succession. Gifts and parental donations have separate tax rules and allowances. Obtain tax advice to compare lifetime transfers with inheritance outcomes.
Banks usually freeze accounts until they receive probate documents such as will publication or certificates of heirs, plus tax compliance evidence. Joint accounts with survivorship may be treated differently, but banks still request documentation. Expect identification and tax checks before release.
They are represented by a legal guardian. Court approval is often required, and acceptance is typically only with the benefit of inventory. Transactions involving inherited real estate for minors may need further court authorization to protect their interests.
Hellenic Cadastre - for property registrations and certificates related to real estate in Vouliagmeni.
Independent Authority for Public Revenue AADE - for inheritance and gift tax declarations and guidance.
Athens Bar Association - for finding lawyers experienced in succession, property, and tax matters.
National Chamber of Notaries of Greece - for locating a notary and information on will forms and notarial procedures.
Magistrate Court and Court of First Instance of Athens - for will publication and relevant probate filings.
Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni and local Citizen Service Centers KEP - for family status certificates and administrative support.
Greek Consulates and Embassies - for legalizations, apostilles where applicable, and assistance with foreign documents.
European e-Justice Portal - for summaries of the EU Succession Regulation and cross-border inheritance tools.
Clarify your goals. Decide whom you want to benefit, consider protections for your spouse or vulnerable relatives, and identify any cross-border issues.
Map your assets. List properties in Greece and abroad, bank accounts, business interests, and any liabilities. Note where documents are kept.
Consult a local lawyer and a notary. Ask about forced heirship, whether a choice-of-law clause suits you, and how to structure real estate with usufruct-bare ownership if appropriate.
Obtain tax guidance. Estimate inheritance and gift tax exposure, deadlines, and available allowances. Plan timing for any lifetime transfers.
Prepare documents. Gather IDs, tax numbers, marriage and birth certificates, property titles, and prior tax and ENFIA certificates. For foreign documents, arrange apostille and official translations.
Execute a will and any powers of attorney. Use a notary to ensure validity in Greece and to incorporate any choice-of-law clause. Consider a property or financial power of attorney for incapacity planning.
Coordinate registration and filings. For acceptances of inheritance, handle notarial deeds and registrations with the Hellenic Cadastre or Land Registry, and submit tax declarations to AADE on time.
Review periodically. Revisit your plan after major life changes, law updates, or significant asset moves between countries.
If you face an imminent deadline to renounce or accept an inheritance, contact a lawyer immediately to preserve your rights, including filing for acceptance with the benefit of inventory where suitable.
