The intensification of trade relations between European countries and the ever increasing number of European citizens moving to France has resulted in a considerable increase in the number of cases of cross-border inheritances and donations. This is also true of situations involving both France and Germany.
The purchase of real estate by foreigners in France involves complex legal issues in the areas of inheritance, referring in part to the inheritance law of the country of origin of the deceased, and partly to the jurisdiction of the location of the property . These difficulties also impact the processing of international inheritance tax issues.
ZGS assists clients in resolving these issues, including the Franco-German, -Austrian and -Swiss ones and the Franco-American-English-Iranian ones, and advises on the best solutions from a legal, procedural and tax perspective.
ZGS also prepares – in cooperation with notaries – Legal Opinions about foreign law (Swiss, Austrian & German), affidavits (” Erbschein “) and estate /tax returns.