Introducing a New Inheritance Service for British Married Expats in France

British married expats living in France face particular challenges when it comes to inheritance – and we have a plan to help you overcome them.

The facts. French law automatically views a married couple’s assets separately under the séparation de bien regime which classes each spouse’s property as individually owned. This creates complications when one partner passes away.

It also prioritises children over the surviving spouse so a donation au dernier vivantdocument can prove more effective than a standard will by providing protection against children’s inheritance rights and minimising conflicts. (Read our Q&A for more details). 

Take note. The French attitude toward wealth is shaped by the concept of patrimoine, a term with no direct English equivalent. It reflects the idea of generational wealth, intended to be preserved and passed down. Unlike in the UK, saving for personal retirement is less common, instead, wealth is safeguarded for future generations.

New service. To avoid inheritance pitfalls, British expats should embrace French legal tools rather than attempting to apply UK law. 

Aimed at taking the pain out of your inheritance planning, we launched a new will and legal drafting service and a notaire search solution to help couples create tailored, bilingual wills that comply with French law, ensuring assets are properly distributed and minimising tax burdens. 

Read more about our new will template about our new “HeirScript Solutions” service in this week’s Product Spotlight.