Fee for heir tracing

Once the heir tracing process has been successfully completed, a certificate of inheritance can be applied for and issued on the basis of our efforts and the documents and evidence we have compiled.

The fee agreed with the heirs identified by us

• is only payable if and when the heirs actually receive their inheritance and is therefore definitely only recognised in the event of success,
• is calculated in the form of a percentage share of the inheritance to be distributed before deduction of inheritance tax,
• includes our expenses incurred in connection with the investigation of the heirs,
• does not have to be paid to us as an advance at any time.

The amount of the fee is generally around 20% - 25% of the respective net inheritance to be distributed plus VAT before deduction of inheritance tax. Our expenses are already covered by the fee and are not invoiced separately. High expenses due to complex and lengthy investigations are therefore not charged to the heirs.

The estate administrators, probate courts, known heirs, notary's offices or other parties involved do not incur any costs or obligations as a result of our involvement. As a matter of principle, we only act at our own financial risk, so that no advances of any kind are payable to us at any time. If we are successful, the fee is agreed directly with the heirs we have identified, while we bear all costs ourselves if we are unsuccessful.

In the inheritance tax return, our fee for the heir tracing can be deducted as an inheritance liability, which reduces the inheritance tax payable by the heirs, if applicable, and thus a considerable part of the fee may be compensated by savings in inheritance tax.