Inheritance in Britain

Yes, always a good idea to cover your butt... or is it?? Especially when you are a member of a spanking library! hehehe!

Nothing gets past these folks, Jools. You know that. Especially our lovable little bunny.

Thanks everybody!
I was fully aware some stories were stretching the law a little or a lot but I suppose nobody here is a counsellor in legal matters...Even if I've found quite plausible the legalese.
I think that to be of sound mind is a requisite everywhere and of course you expect your lawyer to advise you properly so that the will won't be challenged.
Apart from that, here in France two things are important:
- There's something called "the legacy to the last living spouse" which you can sign as soon as you get married when you don't really trust the children one of you has had from another marriage; it means that when you die your spouse will have the right to stay in the house until she dies. If you don't sign that, she/he can stay in the house for a year but at the end of that year the children can just chuck her/him out if they want to sell the house and inherit the money.
- The law protects above all the children: they have the biggest part of the legacy and there's nothing you can do about that.

"If you make a legal will then you can specify exactly who the beneficiaries are. So yes, you and you alone decide where your assets are going."
And I think I much prefer the British law!
I wonder if all the British people living in France are quite aware of the huge differences between our laws and yours.
And I wonder which laws apply to foreigners living in France: ours or theirs?
Forgive me for harping on the subject, I've studied the law quite a lot as a pastime.

I've read of a number of unexpected problems that have arisen from second homes, or when a retired couple have moved.
Providing British buyers use a good solicitor I understand that they are now advised about French inheritance law.

Peter

I'm sure someone mentioned to me thatthere is a problem in France in that land ends up being split up into ever smaller portions with the successive generations, and this makes farming it more difficult?

I find it rather strange, a person works all their life to put together a little wealth and in some countries has very little say over what happens to or who gets what of what is left. I have no intention of making anyone in or out of my family rich when I pass on, therefore I am a firm believer of 'spend it while you can, because you cannot take it with you.'

In this country one has to prove they considered others and spouses can contest if they don't get what the court would consider a fair share, however most problems occur because of 'no will' rather then an actual will.

That being said some families will fight for years among themselves over possessions and lose the family, which really makes me wonder what they consider important in this life.

(Just another take on that) It's odd how our culture doesn't seem to value the idea of generational wealth. We actually look down on people who inherit their wealth! ...but generational wealth is how families get (and stay) rich.

If you were to inherit some wealth from a previous generation, wouldn't you feel some obligation to preserve it, and hopefully grow it so that it could also enrich your progeny, and (hopefully) their progeny?


I've seen it time and again. There is nothing that brings out the worst in a family like the death of a family member who leaves anything of value behind.

I inherited nothing , so I do not have to worry about such questions...LOL. If I ever came into money, like winning a lotto or something, I would share while I was alive rather then waiting till I am dead.

I agree CS. To those who appreciated me in my life and were truly my friends and family this is.