You may already have a will and need to arrange the signing of the inheritance deed. Or you may still be unsure what assets your relative left, whether there are debts, or why the bank is asking for documents you do not have. Sometimes matters stall because the heirs cannot agree. At EXLEGEBCN, we start by looking at your particular situation: what has been dealt with, what is outstanding and where you need our help. As a law firm in Barcelona, we can advise on a specific question or prepare and coordinate the administration of the estate, agreeing the scope of our work with you.
You do not need to collect every document before contacting us. We will explain what we need to assess your matter.
Preparing the estate before signing
We review the will, if there is one, the documents available and the information about assets and debts. If you have received a proposed distribution or have a deed awaiting signature, we examine it and explain what it means for you and which points need clarification. Our work may include obtaining certificates, preparing an inventory, considering your rights and coordinating with the notary on the formal declaration identifying the heirs, where required, and on the acceptance and division of the estate. Sometimes the next step is to obtain a missing document; in other cases, a debt, a discrepancy over property ownership or the proposed terms of the distribution need closer examination. Understanding that distinction helps establish which steps you need to instruct us to take.
The notary authorises the deeds. Our role is to prepare the matter and advise you on the decisions involved.
Taxes, banks and property registration
Arranging an inheritance also means deciding who will deal with any work remaining after the deeds are signed. There may be tax obligations, matters to resolve with banks and inherited property to register in the new owners' names. At EXLEGEBCN, we assess the steps required in the circumstances of the estate and can handle the tax, banking and registration work covered by our quotation. This makes it clear from the outset whether you are instructing us on one particular task or several stages of the matter. If a difficulty arises, we explain what is holding things up, which documents are needed and how we propose to proceed; where further work falls outside the agreed scope, we agree that additional instruction before undertaking it.
If you or other heirs live outside Spain, we consider how to arrange your involvement remotely, which documents you will need and whether a power of attorney would be appropriate. We also explain which steps may require attendance in person, rather than assuming that every procedure can be handled in the same way.
When the heirs cannot agree
Disagreements may concern the value of assets, the use of a home or a proposed distribution that one of the parties does not accept. Before recommending a course of action, we need to review the documents and understand what you want to achieve. We advise you on your position and assess the scope for negotiation, taking the points in dispute into account. If the dispute requires court proceedings, we consider the defence of your interests and specify the work the firm would undertake.
To start, tell us when your relative died, whether you know of a will, where the main assets are located and what you need to resolve. We can then assess the work and prepare a quotation that distinguishes our fees from any notarial fees, registration costs and taxes payable. You can review the proposal before deciding whether to instruct us.
This content is for general information. Each inheritance requires a legal and tax assessment of its particular circumstances.