Will and Testament in Russia

Different countries have different principles of distribution of assets in a deceased estate. What about Russia? In this article we will discuss how to make a will, and here you can learn what happens if someone passes away intestate.

Foreign nationals have the same inheritance rights as Russian citizens - they can make a will in Russia and inherit in the same way.

WHAT CAN YOU WRITE IN YOUR WILL?

Russian inheritance law allows everyone to bequeath their estate to anyone after death - it may be a relative or not, or it may be any organization. A will cannot be challenged solely on the grounds that family members are not named in it. The only exception is disabled dependents, including minor children - if the will leaves them no inheritance, they may be able to claim a certain share in the legacy, although this share will most likely be small. In addition, note that in Russia, spouses who acquire property during marriage own property equally, 50/50. So if you, for example, have a shared house, you cannot bequeath the WHOLE house to the third party - its half belongs to your husband or wife.

HOW TO MAKE A WILL?

In some countries, notarizing a will is not required; but in Russia it is a must, or else it will not go into effect. There are some exceptional cases where death is imminent and little time left, but if you can visit a notary, we strictly recommend you do it. The notary will also advise you on how to dispose of the property so that the document cannot be contested after death.

If a non-citizen does not speak Russian, he should invite a certified interpreter to the notary when making a will.

HOW TO COME INTO INHERITANCE?

Visit any notary to initiate probate to, firstly, find out what the decedent owned, and secondly, if he or she made a will, because information about all wills is stored in a common notary database. This is the notary who will distribute the assets.

IMPORTANT: The period for entering into inheritance is 6 months. The state does not purposefully seek potential heirs. Either the heirs come to a notary themselves, or they miss the 6-month deadline and receive nothing. Proving anything after this will be either very difficult or impossible.

CAN YOU REVOKE OR ALTER YOUR WILL?

You can revoke or change it at any time without anyone's consent and without giving reasons.

WHAT CAN YOU BEQUEATH?

You can distribute any assets you own, for example, real estate, money, securities, vehicles, property rights, valuables, and even ordinary things, although they are almost never indicated in wills. By the way, debts are also inherited proportionally to the share in the deceased person's property, but this is a complex system, and if you have inherited something and then found out that the bank has filed a lawsuit against you, it is better to contact a lawyer - in some cases it can be reduced or even challenged.


Need legal help? Feel free to contact us:
Tel: +7 909 961-19-09
Email: legalsolutions@inbox.ru
Visit us: Moscow, Zubovskiy bulvar, building 4/1, office 308

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