As many readers will be aware, on first death, French inheritance law grants an automatic right to children to a share of the estate.
The surviving spouse only shares in the inheritance with their children, although they retain a right to reside for life in the marital home.
Many international owners are uncomfortable with this state of affairs, particularly where family relations may be strained.
As a result, many couples seek a solution to the dilemma, often found by entering into a particular type of French marriage contract, called régime de communauté universelle.
Under this contact, all assets of the couple are in a single estate.
We provide a comprehensive guide to this contract, including some of the disadvantages and the process for entering into the contract.
You can read the guide at Adopt a French Marriage Contract.
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