Overview
- New explainers and a free 143‑question eBook from V‑CHECK compile step‑by‑step guidance on wills, gifts and taxes.
- A will is valid only if fully handwritten or notarised, and a typed document that is merely signed does not meet the legal form.
- Close relatives keep a Pflichtteil equal to half the statutory share, so disinheritance does not remove cash claims that can strain property‑heavy estates.
- Tax burdens can be reduced by using exempt amounts—€500,000 for spouses and €400,000 for children—repeating ten‑year gifts, and employing tools like Nießbrauch or a right of residence.
- Joint spousal testaments can bind the survivor and limit later changes, and a Vorsorgevollmacht can avoid a court‑appointed guardian if decision‑making capacity is lost.