Estate Planning and Inheritance Law

Inheritance questions are rarely a matter of law alone. A couple wants to plan their estate to protect the surviving spouse and wonders what instruments exist, between a will and an inheritance agreement (Erbvertrag). Siblings must settle a parent's estate and struggle to agree on dividing real estate or a family business. A client holds assets in several countries and wants to understand how they interact with Swiss succession law. An entrepreneur is preparing to pass their business on to their children and wants to anticipate the wealth and tax consequences of that transfer.

These situations call for a comprehensive review before any instrument is drafted: the composition of the estate, the family situation, the client's objectives, and potential tensions between heirs. Lexper begins with this overall analysis, then builds a succession planning strategy that accounts for every parameter, tax included. Comparing the financial effects of different ownership structures and possible distributions lets the client decide with a clear view of the consequences rather than on the basis of an abstract legal principle alone.

Drafting a notarial will, an inheritance agreement, or any instrument requiring notarization is entrusted, with the client's consent, to a notary retained for the file. When a disagreement between heirs turns into a dispute, Lexper retains a registered attorney (admitted to a Swiss cantonal bar registry) specializing in succession law. The client keeps a single point of contact from the first meeting to the full resolution of the file, even when the notary and the attorney are involved one after the other.

Planning ahead for a succession, rather than settling it under time pressure, preserves a wider range of options. An estate made up of real estate, a business, and financial assets is not divided the same way depending on whether the heirs want to keep it in joint ownership or liquidate it.

Lexper pays particular attention to blended families and cross-border estates, where the applicable rules do not always match what the client assumes. An upfront analysis prevents a choice made on a mistaken assumption from having to be corrected once the succession has begun, which then becomes harder and often more costly for all the heirs.