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Property in Germany

Austrian Inheritance LawAustrian ProbateGerman LawGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawGerman Tax LawInternational ProbateProperty in Germany

Workshop “Clients with Foreign Assets” for British Inheritance & Probate Lawyers

Testators with assets abroads Why would an English or Scottish solicitor even give a toss about German or Spanish inheritance tax laws or about French or Italian forced heirship rules? Well, for starters, in order to avoid the client's survivors yelling at him/her some years later because they ran into probate or/and foreign tax problems abroad. Or, and this is of course the far better reason, to really impress your client with advice on international…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
July 25, 2017
German ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawInternational ProbateProperty in Germany

International Wills: What your English Solicitor does not tell you (but should)

Drafting Wills for British or American Clients with Assets outside the UK / USA You are a British or American citizen but have assets abroad, let's say in Germany, Austria, France, Italy or Spain. Your English solicitor or your American lawyer suggests you make a Will which deals only with your national estate, i.e. the Will is restricted in such a way that it shall only apply to your assets located within the UK or…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
July 24, 2017
Conveyancing GermanyGerman LawProperty in Germany

Purchase German Property by Online Auction?

Beware of buying German real estate through the internet. It does not work that way in Germany! Our firm specalises in German-British and German-Amercian legal matters. Thus, we are sometimes contacted by non-German clients who proudly tell us that they have just successfully bought German property by way of online auction, for example from "MIDLAND ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD" or another online auction service provider. There is just one small problem with this: In order to…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
May 29, 2017
Conveyancing GermanyGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawProperty in GermanyProperty Lease

How to sell inherited German Property

An English or American Executor finds that the Testator's Estate comprises a Flat, House or Plot of Land in Germany. What now? If the deceased owned real estate in Germany which the executor or the beneficiaries now wish to sell as soon as possible, this legal guide explains what needs to be done to sell an inherited home in Germany. The sale of the German property may be complicated further if the house or flat…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
January 12, 2017
German ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawProperty in Germany

How to Access German Assets without having to go through German Probate

There are Practical Alternatives to German Wills German law provides for a number of legal tools which enable a testator to transfer some or all of his assets outside of the German probate rules, i.e. the transfer will then happen automatically upon the testator’s death. This has many advantages: No need for a will, nor a German grant of probate, i.e. no waiting period and no probate costs. These tools are "conditional transfers in contemplation…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
January 9, 2017
Conveyancing GermanyGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawProperty in Germany

Received an Inheritance in Germany? Be ready for Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!

Check the German Capital Gains Tax situation before you sell your inherited property! Waiting a few years may avoid significant taxes. If you have received an inheritance which comprises German assets, in particular German property, this inheritance may or may not trigger inheritance taxes in Germany and / or the UK. We have explained these IHT issues in detail in the following posts: The Perils of German IHT and Gift Tax Basics of German Inheritance…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
October 7, 2016
Conveyancing GermanyGerman ProbateGerman Succession & Inheritance LawProperty in Germany

Is “Miteigentum” in a German Property the same as “Tenancy in Common”?

The different ways to co-own property (real estate) in Germany Well, the legal concepts of "Miteigentum" and "Tenancy in Common" are quite similar, if not identical. The German Miteigentum (co-ownership) is regulated by the German Civil Code in sections 1008 to 1011. Each "Miteigentümer" has a direct, separately transferable interest in the property. However, where property is concerned, the rights of co-owners in Germany are usually individually defined in the notarial deeds and the German…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
September 20, 2016
Property in Germany

Buying German Property as Brexit Counter-Strategy

If you consider to invest some of your money outside the UK due to Brexit and the financial uncertainties caused by it, purchasing property in Germany may be a smart approach. Property value has been rising steadily, in some German cities (like Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Stuttgart) very significantly. The German economy is strong and finding solvent and reliable tenants is hardly ever a problem for landlords. If you consider purchasing a flat or a house…
Bernhard Schmeilzl
June 28, 2016