Greece Overhauls Inheritance Law, Adds Digital Debt-Tracking Platform for Heirs

Greece's Justice Ministry will implement a sweeping reform of inheritance law on September 16, introducing a new digital platform that will let heirs check a deceased person's outstanding debts before deciding whether to accept or renounce an inheritance, according to sources cited by iefimerida.gr.

The legislation, presented earlier this year by Justice Minister George Floridis and Deputy Minister Ioannis Bougas,

One of the most significant changes converts the "legal reserve" — the minimum share guaranteed to close relatives even when a will exists — into a monetary claim rather than automatic co-ownership of property or a business, aiming to reduce the forced joint ownership arrangements that often trigger years of litigation and complicate family business succession.

The reform also introduces inheritance contracts to Greek law for the first time, allowing individuals to arrange future inheritance matters while still alive, including agreements to waive future inheritance rights.

The new debt-tracking platform is designed to ensure heirs are not deciding "blind," without knowledge of financial obligations attached to an estate, while also strengthening the legal separation between inherited debt and an heir's personal assets.

Surviving spouses gain stronger rights under intestate succession, receiving one-third of an estate when one child survives, or one-quarter with two or more children, alongside enhanced protections for the marital home.

Under specific conditions, long-term unmarried partners will also gain inheritance rights.

The law adds new safeguards for vulnerable individuals, limiting the ability of caregivers at health or social care facilities to benefit from handwritten wills of patients under their care, while protecting those who provided genuine, uncompensated caregiving.

Handwritten wills remain valid but face stricter requirements, including notarized deposit in certain cases and expanded digital registration to make wills easier to locate after death. Minor dating errors will no longer automatically invalidate a handwritten will if the drafting date can be established through other means.

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Greece's Justice Ministry will implement a sweeping reform of inheritance law on September 16, introducing a new digital platform that will let heirs check a deceased person's outstanding debts before deciding whether to accept or renounce an inheritance, according to sources cited by iefimerida.gr.

The legislation, presented earlier this year by Justice Minister George Floridis and Deputy Minister Ioannis Bougas, marks the first major overhaul of Greek inheritance law in roughly 80 years, addressing issues ranging from forced co-ownership disputes to hidden debts and protections for vulnerable individuals.

One of the most significant changes converts the "legal reserve" — the minimum share guaranteed to close relatives even when a will exists — into a monetary claim rather than automatic co-ownership of property or a business, aiming to reduce the forced joint ownership arrangements that often trigger years of litigation and complicate family business succession.

The reform also introduces inheritance contracts to Greek law for the first time, allowing individuals to arrange future inheritance matters while still alive, including agreements to waive future inheritance rights.

The new debt-tracking platform is designed to ensure heirs are not deciding "blind," without knowledge of financial obligations attached to an estate, while also strengthening the legal separation between inherited debt and an heir's personal assets.

Surviving spouses gain stronger rights under intestate succession, receiving one-third of an estate when one child survives, or one-quarter with two or more children, alongside enhanced protections for the marital home.

Under specific conditions, long-term unmarried partners will also gain inheritance rights.

The law adds new safeguards for vulnerable individuals, limiting the ability of caregivers at health or social care facilities to benefit from handwritten wills of patients under their care, while protecting those who provided genuine, uncompensated caregiving.

Handwritten wills remain valid but face stricter requirements, including notarized deposit in certain cases and expanded digital registration to make wills easier to locate after death. Minor dating errors will no longer automatically invalidate a handwritten will if the drafting date can be established through other means.

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