Erbausschlagung-Timer - Minuteur pour la renonciation à la succession

When someone dies, their assets pass automatically to the heirs - all of it, debts included. This is called universal succession, and it happens by itself, without you signing anything. Anyone who does not want an over-indebted inheritance has to act and disclaim it. That is exactly what this timer is for: it makes the tight deadline visible and helps you reach a clear decision even in grief.

The deadline is the critical point. Under Section 1944 of the Civil Code you have six weeks to disclaim - counted from the moment you learn of your right to inherit and its basis. If the deceased lived abroad or you were resident abroad, it is six months. Let the deadline pass and the inheritance counts as accepted, and you are liable. The timer records your start date and visibly counts down the remaining days.

Before the decision comes the question: accept or disclaim? That depends on what the estate actually contains. If assets, property and savings dominate, you want to accept. If loans, guarantees and unpaid bills dominate, disclaiming is often the safe route. The decision guide in the tool walks you through the relevant questions so you neither throw away a valuable inheritance out of fear nor get stuck with debts out of ignorance.

Disclaiming is not the only option. If you are unsure whether the estate is over-indebted, you can also limit your liability instead of disclaiming entirely. Estate insolvency, estate administration and the three-month defence are tools that protect your own assets without giving up the inheritance wholesale. The timer explains these alternatives so you can pick the one that fits your situation.

An important side effect: if you disclaim, the next person in the line of succession moves up - often your own children. For minor children a timely disclaimer must be made too, otherwise they inherit the debts. The timer flags this chain effect so you do not disclaim and accidentally send your children into liability.

The disclaimer itself is declared on the record at the probate court or in notarized form. Both cost a fee based on the estate value - for an over-indebted estate it is modest. The tool tells you the details and documents needed so the declaration lands right the first time at the district court.

The timer runs in your browser, your entries stay on the device. It does not replace advice from a lawyer or notary - for complicated estates in particular you should seek counsel. But it makes sure that in an already hard time the most important deadline does not slip away from you.