Settlement of an estate: will or on the grounds of the law

The first question you will need to answer in the case of an inheritance is whether the decedent has left a will with respect to his or her estate. If so, the contents of the will, along with various statutory provisions applicable to inheritance law will determine how the estate is to be settled. For example, the will would determine who the heirs are and whether an executor has been appointed, whether the statutory portion is claimable, whether someone should receive a legacy, etc. 

In the case of the absence of a will, the law will determine how the estate is to be divided. This is referred to as statutory division. The provisions of statutory division are stipulated in Book 4 of the Dutch Civil Code and provides directives on how to settle the estate of the deceased.

The inheritance law specialists at SILK are exceptionally capable of counseling you on the settlement of an estate, with or without a will.