Estate planning · Hungary
Estate planning lawyer in Hungary
Succession in Hungary is governed by a codified Civil Code, and testamentary freedom is balanced against the compulsory share reserved for your closest relatives. Getting the documents and the property regime right is what makes your intentions workable. Tell us about your situation and we introduce you to a Hungarian lawyer who handles estate planning.
- Succession under the Civil Code (Act V of 2013), in force since 15 March 2014
- Compulsory share, matrimonial property and cross-border estates
- Matched with an attorney admitted to a Hungarian regional bar association
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The situation
Estate planning in Hungary, explained clearly
Deciding what happens to your assets is a legal exercise, not a formality. In Hungary, succession is governed by the Civil Code (Act V of 2013), a comprehensive code in force since 15 March 2014 that also covers family law and property. Testamentary freedom is real but not unlimited: the compulsory share protects certain relatives. Matrimonial property, business interests, foreign assets and cross-border family situations all interact with those rules. An estate planning lawyer in Hungary can review your position, explain which instruments are open to you and prepare them so that your intentions hold. Through this page you set out your situation once, and we match you with a Hungarian lawyer whose practice covers estate planning and succession.
Hungary in practice
How estate planning works under Hungarian law
Hungarian private law is codified rather than built on precedent, so the rules that shape your estate sit in one comprehensive instrument. The Civil Code (Act V of 2013) has applied since 15 March 2014 and covers persons, family law, property, obligations and succession. Three features matter most for planning: the compulsory share, the default matrimonial property regime, and a court structure in which estate questions can eventually reach a hierarchy headed by the Curia.
A codified system, not a case-law one
Hungary follows the continental civil-law model, so succession rests on written codes rather than judicial precedent. The Civil Code (Act V of 2013) has been in force since 15 March 2014 and unifies the rules on persons, family law, property, obligations and succession in a single instrument. Judges are bound by the law; the Curia issues uniformity decisions that bind the lower courts.
The compulsory share protects close relatives
Testamentary freedom in Hungary is restricted by the compulsory share (kötelesrész). The descendant, spouse and parent of the estate leaver are each entitled to one-third of what they would have received as intestate heirs. A compulsory-share beneficiary can only be excluded by a valid disinheritance on statutory grounds, and the claim lapses after five years.
Matrimonial property decides what the estate contains
Unless the spouses provide otherwise in a matrimonial property contract, a matrimonial community of property (házastársi vagyonközösség) exists between them during the marital community of life. Spouses may opt for a contractual property regime before or during the marriage. That choice is decisive in divorce and asset division, including cross-border cases, and it therefore changes what eventually falls into an estate.
Who may advise and represent you
Practising as an attorney-at-law requires membership of a regional bar association, and those bodies are members of the Hungarian Bar Association (MÜK), seated in Budapest. An admitted attorney may practise throughout the whole territory of Hungary. The profession is regulated by Act LXXVIII of 2017, which also provides for mandatory continuing training and a professional guarantee and indemnity scheme.
Costs: agreed legal fees, statutory court fees
Legal fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client by mandate; there is no binding statutory tariff for attorneys-at-law. Court fees follow a different logic: under Act XCIII of 1990, non-contentious proceedings attract 3% of the subject-matter value, with a minimum of HUF 5,000 and a maximum of HUF 250,000. Appeal and review proceedings attract separate fees.
Legal aid where means are limited
Act LXXX of 2003 on legal aid provides support with legal advice, the drafting of documents and representation in civil, labour and administrative matters for persons lacking sufficient means, together with exemption from or deferral of procedural costs in certain cases. Eligibility is tied to the social reference base, whose forint value is set annually in the central budget act, so thresholds move each year.
Key time limit — Inheritance, Probate & Wills
Compulsory share (forced heirship) claim — 5 years. The core succession deadline: a protected heir’s claim lapses after five years.
The country data on this page comes from official Hungarian sources — the Hungarian judiciary portal and the national legal database njt.jog.gov.hu — consulted in 2025.
Common difficulties
Why Hungarian estates become complicated
Most problems do not come from bad intentions. They come from documents that never matched the family, the property or the law that applies.
Close relatives are overlooked
Clients often assume they can leave everything to one person. The compulsory share gives the descendant, spouse and parent of the estate leaver a protected one-third of their intestate share instead.
Property regimes are never chosen
Without a matrimonial property contract, a matrimonial community of property exists during the marital community of life. That default can decide which assets fall into the estate, including in cross-border situations.
Deadlines pass unnoticed
Succession questions rarely sit alone: a compulsory share claim lapses after five years, and shorter periods govern employment and administrative matters that can affect what the estate is worth.
How we help
From your description to the right Hungarian lawyer
You do not need to know Hungarian procedure. You need to explain your situation once, clearly, to someone who does.
One short description
You tell us about your family, your property in Hungary, any foreign assets and what you want to achieve. No legal jargon is required from you at any point.
Matching by specialisation
Estate planning, succession disputes and matrimonial property are distinct areas of practice. We look for an attorney whose work actually covers the situation you describe.
Admitted, regulated attorneys
Every lawyer we introduce is admitted to a regional bar association and is a member of the Hungarian Bar Association (MÜK), so the professional framework and insurance scheme apply.
Free and without obligation
Using the matching service costs you nothing. You decide afterwards whether to instruct the lawyer, and fees are agreed directly with the lawyer by mandate.
Cross-border estates
Hungarian lawyers, European family situations
Family members, property and bank accounts are often spread over several countries, and a Hungarian estate can involve assets held elsewhere. Legal representation in Hungary requires an attorney admitted to the Hungarian bar, while the foreign side may need separate advice. If your situation crosses a border, tell us in the description so that the match reflects it.
Questions
Estate planning in Hungary: what clients ask
What does an estate planning lawyer in Hungary do?
A Hungarian estate planning lawyer reviews your family and property situation against the Civil Code (Act V of 2013), explains how the compulsory share and matrimonial property rules affect your plans, prepares the documents that express your wishes, and represents you if a dispute reaches court. Because representation rules differ by court level, the lawyer confirms what your particular case requires.
Can I decide freely who inherits my property in Hungary?
Not entirely. Hungarian succession law restricts testamentary freedom through the compulsory share. The descendant, spouse and parent of the estate leaver are entitled to one-third of what they would have received as intestate heirs. You can only exclude such a beneficiary by a valid disinheritance based on statutory grounds, so the precise wording of your documents matters a great deal.
What is the compulsory share and how long do I have to claim it?
The compulsory share (kötelesrész) is a protected portion of the estate reserved for the descendant, spouse and parent of the estate leaver, calculated as one-third of their intestate share. A claim for the compulsory share lapses after five years, which is why disputes over a will or a disinheritance are best assessed early rather than left to run.
Does marriage change what falls into my estate in Hungary?
Yes. Unless the spouses provide otherwise in a matrimonial property contract, a matrimonial community of property exists between them during the marital community of life. Spouses may instead choose a contractual property regime before or during the marriage. That choice is decisive in divorce and asset division, including cross-border cases, and it shapes which assets are available for succession.
Do I need a lawyer to go before a Hungarian court?
Legal representation is mandatory in litigation unless an Act provides otherwise, but it is not required in actions falling within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district courts (járásbíróság), including appeals and retrial procedures. Before the regional court and the higher courts an attorney is required. Only attorneys-at-law, law offices and registered in-house legal counsels may act as agents.
How are fees set for estate planning work in Hungary?
Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed between the lawyer and the client by mandate; no binding statutory tariff applies to attorneys-at-law. Fee agreements and remuneration are governed by Act LXXVIII of 2017, which also regulates the professional guarantee and indemnity insurance attorneys must maintain. Where a person lacks sufficient means, Act LXXX of 2003 on legal aid may provide support.
Next step
Describe your estate in Hungary once
Write a few lines about your family, your property and what you want to achieve. We will match you with a Hungarian attorney who works in estate planning and succession, and you take it from there — with no cost for the match itself.