Support for executors or trustees of Canadian estates in Germany

We advise and assist clients acting as executors or trustees of Canadian estates or trusts with assets in Germany and/or having German heirs. Our services include:

• Obtaining recognition of validity from German probate courts for Canadian wills and the issuance of German Letters Testamentary (“Testamentsvollstreckerzeugnis”) for Canadian executors/estate trustees; 
• Assistance with obtaining German Certificate of Heirship (“Erbschein”) for Canadian heirs;
• Providing legal representation for Canadian heirs, beneficiaries, executors, administrators and estate trustees) in connection with obtaining assets held by German banks, insurance companies and financial institutions, passing both through or outside of probate;
• Assistance with the preparation and filing of German estate, inheritance, and gift tax returns for American estates, heirs and beneficiaries to ensure recognition of payments of Canadian Capital Gains Tax on deemed disposition on death;
• Representing Canadian executors, administrators, heirs, beneficiaries and trustees before German probate courts and taxation authorities, including obtaining tax clearance for the release of German assets passing to Canadian heirs and beneficiaries and defending against claims of unwarranted German estate, inheritance and gift taxes;.