Family tree verification

Heirship verification is an essential part of the proper settlement of an estate. Before a notary or estate administrator can proceed with the liquidation and distribution, it must be established with certainty who is legally entitled to inherit and in what capacity. Where there is no will, or where there is doubt as to the completeness or kinship of the known heirs, a thorough and independent verification is necessary. This research prevents heirs from being overlooked or the distribution from being challenged at a later stage. These searches may also be carried out to prove that there are no forced heirs, enabling the notary to transfer the funds to the Deposit and Consignment Office with complete certainty.

In practice, it is not always sufficient to rely on the information volunteered by heirs or family members. Family structures are often complex, documents may be missing and family ties may have faded through migration or the passage of time. Verifying the family tree is therefore advisable where there is doubt as to the existence of additional heirs, where heirs are located abroad, or where the notary wishes to have absolute certainty before executing official deeds. Only conclusive genealogical research can provide certainty in such cases.

Geritance carries out heirship verification according to a structured methodology. We analyse the available information and conduct additional research in population registers, archives and civil status records. On the basis of these sources, we reconstruct the family structure of the deceased. Every step of the research is carefully checked and documented.

Upon completion of the research, we draw up a comprehensive genealogical report. This report contains a clear family tree, an identification of all rightful heirs and an explanation of their position under inheritance law.