Wills & Successions

A will is a legal document indicating how the deceased’s assets are to be divided after his death. Wills may be public or secret, and married couples may opt for a joint will (unica charta) which states that upon the death of one of the spouses, the surviving spouse inherits the other’s entire estate, and vice versa.

A public will must be officiated by a notary public with two witnesses and registered in the Public Registry. The contents are kept confidential until the death of the deceased but third parties may have knowledge of the will’s existence.

A secret will is required to be registered in the Court Registry and may only be opened after the deceased’s death by the court in the presence of the interested parties. Third parties would not be aware of its existence.