Inheritance is the process by which a deceased individual’s estate is passed on to his or her heirs. If the deceased does not leave a will, the inheritance is divided among the heirs as provided by law.
When the deceased does leave a well, the inheritance is handled according to the wishes of the deceased, within the limits of the reserved portion of the estate. Under French law, it is impossible to disinherit one’s children.
A deceased individual who has children may only dispose of a portion of his or her estate. The available portion is half of the inheritance when there is one child, a third of the inheritance when there are two children, and a quarter when there are three or more children.
The estate is settled through the establishment of a deed of partition with the agreement of the heirs. If an amicable agreement cannot be reached, proceedings must be initiated in Court through a lawyer.
