wills and succession

Danos & Associates has extensive experience in probate and administration of estates in Cyprus. Our work includes drafting, sealing and resealing wills, offering advice in relation to succession matters and managing the administration of the estates of deceased persons. We handle the process of obtaining a grant of probate or letters of administration and any other steps required for the transfer of the deceased’s estate into the beneficiaries names. We also act in Court proceedings for either claimants or defendants in regards to claims contesting a will or administration letters or other disputes.

Legal basis for Wills & Succession in Cyprus:

In Cyprus the main laws relating to succession and wills are:

  • The Wills and Succession Law, Cap. 195
  • The Administration of Estates Law, Cap. 189
  • The Probates (Re-Sealing) Law, Cap. 192

Service tailored to the needs of the case:

The legalities related to an inheritance can be overwhelming for the family who just lost a loved one. Our Cyprus lawyers can guide you through the process and explain the steps of the procedure and how the deceased’s estate will pass depending on his/her will or succession rules. Our law firm has managed and still manages a large number of administrations of estates acting for both local but mostly foreign residents. Some administrations are simple and straightforward while others are complex as they can involve several jurisdictions. The complexity of an administration further relies on the number of assets and liabilities of that person.

Description of the main services provided by our law firm:

We manage the drafting of a Cyprus will on the basis of the instructions of the client and safekeeping the will or depositing it to the Court depending on the client’s wishes. We manage the process of applying to Court to obtain the grant of probate or letters of administration on behalf of the executor of the will or the intended administrator. Further, a member of our firm can act as the administrator of the estate of the deceased on the basis of a Power of Attorney from the heirs of the estate.

Our Cyprus law firm manage the administration of an estate until completion including opening a bank account for the estate, filing statements to Court declaring the assets of the estate and reporting on the progress of the administration. We manage the process of obtaining discharge from the tax authorities in order for the assets to be able to be distributed to the beneficiaries. Finally, we draft and submit to Court the final accounts explaining in detail the course of the administration and demonstrating that discharge from the tax authorities has been obtained and assets have been distributed to the heirs according to the will of the deceased or the relevant succession laws in the case that the deceases passed away intestate.

Experienced in litigation regarding Wills & Succession cases:

We manage claims in Court relating to disputes over the legitimacy of wills or the letters of administration. Litigation might relate to the challenging of the will from one or more of the heirs or the appointment of the administrators. An objection may be filed to stop the intended administrator from obtaining the letters of administration and a lawsuit may follow. The administrator is sometimes subject to an application to be removed on the basis of allegations of serious negligence or wrongdoing in the course of the administration. We can act both for the applicant and the administrator being challenged.

Resealing of the grant of probate or Letters of Administration from Commonwealth countries:

Our firm also deals with the re-sealing of the grant of probate or letters of administration from Commonwealth countries such as the UK or Australia. Through the use of a Power of Attorney from the administrator in the country in question, we apply to Court to obtain letters of administration in Cyprus to deal with the assets  in Cyprus and their distribution to the heirs as would happen with a regular administration.