“We specialize in the writing of wills, which is particularly important for foreign citizens and residents, especially when part or all of the estate is located in Israel”
Wills in Israeli Law
Israeli inheritance law deals with the writing of a will which covers the whole estate of the testator (the person making the will). Since no parts of an estate are guaranteed to spouses or descendants under Israeli law, testators can leave instructions concerning their whole estate without having to leave any part of the estate to certain beneficiaries.
Relevance of the Law to Foreign Citizens/Residents
When a testator leaves property to a person who is not a citizen or resident of Israel, it is important that for estates in Israel, the will be prepared according to the Israeli law relating to international private law i.e., the will must be written according to the law relating to property in Israel which will be effective in probate.
The Israeli inheritance law covers different situations and legal orders, including the Israeli law or the law in the place of residence of the benefactor or the beneficiary. Consequently, when preparing the will, it is necessary to verify that it complies with the laws that will apply when it will be probate.
We specialize in the writing of wills for Israelis and foreign citizens and residents, which is particularly important when part or all of the estate is located in Israel.
PROBATE AND CHALLENGING A WILL
“We specialize in the management of challenges to wills and Family Court processes”
Challenging a Will
In Israel, it is possible to challenge a will in probate. There are a number of possible grounds for such an action – the most common ground is when the testator was not in a fit mental state to understand the significance of the will. Other grounds relate to unfair influence on the testator or participation in the inheritance process.
Court Process
In Israel, the process to challenge a will runs in the Family Law courts. When there are a number of possible ways to interpret the content of a will, the court is responsible for determination of the validity of the will and interpretation, according to a reliable understanding of the wishes of the testator.