Spanish inheritance lawyer for foreign heirs: we handle everything, from wherever you are

When someone with assets in Spain passes away, their heirs are suddenly faced with a process they've never had to deal with before: in a country they may not live in, in a language they may not speak, with deadlines they don't know about and tax obligations they didn't expect.

At Sol-4 Gestión, we are Spanish inheritance lawyers with over 25 years of experience guiding foreign heirs through the entire process. We handle the legal paperwork, the tax filings and the property transfers in English, and entirely remotely if you can't travel to Spain.

You don't have to figure this out alone.

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✦25 years on the Costa Blanca
✦English, Spanish and German
✦Response within 24 hours
✦2,500+ operations handled

What most foreign heirs don't know

Spain has its own inheritance system and it works very differently from the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany. These are the situations we deal with regularly:

Common Problems

These are the situations we deal with regularly

None of these have to happen when you have a Spanish inheritance lawyer working for you from the start.

Heirs who didn't know there was a six-month deadline to settle inheritance tax and faced penalties as a result
Families who couldn't agree on how to divide the estate and needed legal guidance to resolve it
Properties that couldn't be transferred because the deceased had no Spanish will and the documentation process took years
Heirs who overpaid inheritance tax because nobody applied the regional reductions they were entitled to
Situations where one heir was in Spain and others were abroad, with no clear understanding of what each person needed to do

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How Spanish inheritance works, step by step

Certificate of last wills

The first step is obtaining the Certificado de Últimas Voluntades — the official document that confirms whether the deceased left a Spanish will and, if so, where it is registered. We request this on your behalf.

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Obtaining the will or establishing intestacy

If there is a Spanish will, we obtain a certified copy. If there is no Spanish will, we establish the legal heirs under Spanish intestacy rules which may differ significantly from what the deceased intended or from the rules in their home country.

Inventory and valuation of assets

We prepare a full inventory of all assets in Spain:

Property: real estate registered in the deceased's name
Bank accounts: balances held in Spanish financial institutions
Vehicles and other registered assets
Debts and charges: mortgages, community fees, outstanding taxes

Inheritance tax settlement

Spain has a six-month deadline from the date of death to settle inheritance tax. Extensions of six months are available if requested before the deadline expires — but the clock starts immediately.

Inheritance tax in Spain varies significantly by region:

In the Valencian Community, there are substantial reductions available for direct heirs that can significantly reduce or even eliminate the tax liability
In the Murcia Region, similar reductions apply
For non-resident heirs, the rules have changed in recent years and are more favourable than they used to be

We calculate exactly what you owe, apply every reduction you're entitled to and file the tax on time.

Property transfer and registration

Once the tax is settled, we handle the formal transfer of the property into the heirs' names, including registration at the Land Registry and the update of all associated accounts: IBI, community of owners fees, utility contracts and local taxes.

Bank accounts and other assets

We liaise with Spanish banks and other institutions to transfer or close accounts and release funds to the heirs, once all legal requirements have been met.

What's included in our service

Request of the Certificate of Last Wills

We obtain it on your behalf — the official first step of every Spanish inheritance.

Obtaining and reviewing the Spanish will or establishing intestacy

Certified copy retrieved, or heirs established under Spanish intestacy rules.

Full inventory and valuation of Spanish assets

Property, bank accounts, vehicles and debts — all identified and valued.

Inheritance tax calculation with all applicable regional reductions

Every reduction you're entitled to applied — so you don't pay more than you have to.

Tax filing within the legal deadline

Six-month clock managed — no penalties, no interest charges.

Property registration in the heirs' names

Land Registry registration and all associated account transfers handled.

Transfer of utility contracts, IBI and community fees

Everything in the heirs' names once the transfer is complete.

Liaison with Spanish banks and financial institutions

Accounts transferred or closed and funds released to heirs.

Full remote management

You don't need to travel to Spain. Available in English throughout the entire process.

You're dealing with it now. Make sure it's handled correctly.

Foreign heirs come to us at different stages. Some contact us within days of the death, before anything has been done. Others come to us months later, having tried to manage the process alone and hit a wall.

Wherever you are in the process, it is never too late to get proper legal advice — and the earlier you do, the more options you have.

Is this also the right moment to think about your own will? If you own property in Spain and you don't have a Spanish will, the situation your heirs would face is exactly what this page describes, multiplied by the complexity of having no will at all. A Spanish will made now can save your heirs months of work, significant legal costs and a great deal of uncertainty. The process takes very little time and is one of the most valuable things you can do for the people you leave behind.

We respond within 24 hours

Because when you're dealing with a bereavement in another country, waiting days for an answer is not acceptable.

We manage everything remotely

You don't need to travel to Spain at any point if you have a power of attorney in place.

We work entirely in English

So you always understand exactly what is happening and why.

We apply every regional reduction available

So you don't pay more inheritance tax than you legally have to.

Frequently asked questions about Spanish inheritance lawyer for foreign heirs

How long do I have to deal with an inheritance in Spain?

Do I need to travel to Spain to manage a Spanish inheritance?

What is inheritance tax in Spain for non-residents?

What happens if there is no Spanish will?

Can I refuse a Spanish inheritance?

What documents do I need to start the inheritance process in Spain?

How long does the full inheritance process take in Spain?

Tell us your case

We'll read it, we'll come back to you within 24 hours, and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right people to help. No pressure, no commitment.

Email Us info@sol-4gestion.com

Call Us +34 966 71 51 81

Visit Us C/ ANETO 1, Local 3 - BOX 52
Benimar I, Benijófar, Spain

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