Inheritance Law · Europe
Track Down and Claim Foreign Assets With the Right Lawyer
Bank accounts, investments, pensions and other assets held abroad do not find their way to heirs on their own. We match you, free of charge, with a vetted lawyer who locates, values and transfers inherited foreign assets across Europe, handling the institutions and formalities in each relevant country.
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Who this is for
The assets are out there — but banks abroad will not hand them over without the right papers
Foreign assets are any part of an estate held outside the country where the deceased lived or where the heirs are based, typically bank accounts, investment portfolios, pensions, life-insurance policies, shares or other financial holdings in another jurisdiction. Unlike a house, these assets are often invisible: there may be no deed, no registry entry, and no obvious record unless you know exactly where to look. Once located, each institution abroad will apply its own rules before releasing anything, usually demanding a certificate of inheritance, a declaration of heirship or an equivalent document, often with sworn translations and apostilles. Different countries may also impose their own taxes on the transfer. We match you with a lawyer who locates, values and transfers inherited foreign assets in the relevant countries, so nothing is overlooked or left behind.
Why assets go unclaimed
Foreign assets are lost in three ways.
Undiscovered, unproven, or untransferred.
Heirs often cannot even be sure what exists abroad, let alone persuade a foreign bank to release it.
Not knowing what exists
Accounts and investments held abroad may leave no trace in the deceased’s home papers. Without a systematic search across banks and jurisdictions, valuable assets can remain undiscovered for years or be lost to dormant-account processes.
Institutions demanding proof
A foreign bank or investment house will not release funds on a family’s word. Each will require its own accepted form of heirship proof, translations and identification — and requirements differ from one country and institution to the next.
Cross-border tax and compliance
Transferring foreign assets can trigger succession tax and reporting obligations in more than one country. Missing a filing or a payment can create penalties that eat into the very assets you are trying to recover.
What you get
A lawyer who finds the assets and gets them released
We only match you with lawyers who handle cross-border asset recovery and succession in the relevant countries.
Assets located
Your lawyer conducts a methodical search across banks, registries and financial institutions in the relevant countries, establishing precisely what the estate actually holds abroad, and where.
Proof prepared for each institution
Certificates of inheritance, declarations of heirship, sworn translations and apostilles are assembled to the exact standard that each foreign bank or institution requires, so nothing is rejected on a technicality.
Transfers completed
Once entitlement is proven, your lawyer manages the release and transfer of funds and securities, ensuring they reach the hands of the rightful heirs promptly.
Tax and reporting covered
Any succession tax and cross-border reporting obligations are identified and handled correctly, so the recovery is not undermined by unexpected penalties or avoidable double taxation.
Coverage
Foreign asset inheritance lawyers across Europe
The procedures for releasing foreign assets are set by the country and institution where they are held. We match foreign asset inheritance cases across the following countries and beyond:
Frequently asked
Foreign assets — common questions
How do I find out if the deceased held assets abroad?
Start with the deceased’s papers, correspondence and tax records, then consider a systematic search of banks and registries in countries where they lived, worked or invested. A lawyer experienced in cross-border estates can conduct this search and follow up with the relevant institutions.
What proof do foreign banks require to release funds?
Most institutions require a certificate of inheritance, declaration of heirship or equivalent court or notarial document, together with identification and proof of relationship — frequently with sworn translations and apostilles. The exact requirements vary by country and institution.
Will I pay tax on inherited foreign assets?
Inheriting foreign assets can trigger succession tax in the country where they are held, and your own country may also require reporting or tax. Reliefs and treaty provisions may reduce the burden, but they must be claimed correctly — cross-border tax advice is recommended.
What are dormant accounts, and how do they affect heirs?
A dormant account is one an institution has had no contact with for a long period, which may be transferred to a central register after a set time. Assets can still be reclaimed if you can prove your entitlement, but the process is easier before the account is treated as dormant.
Can a lawyer access the deceased’s foreign accounts directly?
No lawyer can bypass the institution’s own requirements. What a lawyer does is establish your legal entitlement, prepare the exact documentation each bank demands and pursue the release through the correct channels — which is usually far faster than an heir acting alone.
What if foreign assets are held in joint names or a company?
Joint accounts, company shareholdings and trust or nominee structures complicate inheritance, because the rules on survivorship and beneficial ownership differ by jurisdiction. A cross-border lawyer can establish who actually owns the asset and how it passes to the heirs.
Free case review
Do not let a foreign bank keep what belongs to your family
Tell us what you know about the estate and we’ll connect you with a lawyer who locates and recovers foreign assets in the relevant countries every day — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.