Knowledge base: Legal matters
Legal matters related to death are often complex and unfamiliar. Making a will, establishing a continuing power of attorney and filing an inheritance tax return are statutory actions whose timely handling protects both the deceased and their loved ones.
This knowledge base brings together the key legal guides in plain language. We cover making a will, power of attorney, advance directives, inheritance tax and estate administration step by step.
Topics
Guide to the surviving spouse's legal rights in Finland: marital property rights, right of possession to the shared home, survivor's pension, inheritance rights and cohabiting partner's position.
Guide to renouncing an inheritance in Finland: when to renounce, how the process works, impact on children, tax consequences and creditors' rights.
Guide to digital legacy planning in Finland. Learn how to manage digital assets after death, including social media accounts, online banking, cryptocurrencies, and digital files.
Learn about the Finnish continuing power of attorney (edunvalvontavaltuutus). How to prepare one, formal requirements, and how it protects your interests if you lose capacity.
Guide to life insurance and death in Finland. Learn how life insurance payouts work, beneficiary rules, tax implications, and how insurance interacts with estate administration.
Guide to making an advance directive (hoitotahto) in Finland. Learn what a living will covers, its legal standing, and how to ensure your end-of-life wishes are respected.
Complete guide to estate administration in Finland. Learn about the estate inventory, shareholders' rights, estate management, distribution of assets, and the administrator's duties.
Guide to disinheritance under Finnish law. Learn about forced share protection, grounds for disinheritance, and what options a testator has to limit an heir's inheritance.
Complete guide to Finnish inheritance tax. Learn about tax classes, rates, exemptions, deductions, filing deadlines, and how to minimize your inheritance tax burden.
Complete guide to making a legally valid will in Finland. Learn about formal requirements, types of wills, witnesses, and how Finnish inheritance law works.
Frequently asked questions
Is a will always needed?
A will is not mandatory, but without one the estate is distributed according to the statutory order of succession in the Code of Inheritance. A will is especially important if you wish to deviate from the statutory order or protect a cohabiting partner.
What is the inheritance tax threshold?
Inheritance tax is payable when the value of an inheritance exceeds €20,000. Tax class I (close relatives) and class II (others) have different progressive rates.
How does a continuing power of attorney differ from a regular power of attorney?
A continuing power of attorney only takes effect when the principal loses the ability to manage their own affairs. DVV confirms it, after which the authorised person can act on behalf of the principal in financial and personal matters.
From the blog
Funeral planning checklist: all the tasks from the moment of death through the funeral and beyond – a printable checklist.
Practical ways to preserve a loved one's memory: from photo albums to memory boxes, digital archives to memorial traditions.
A guide to choosing a burial site: cemetery grave, memorial grove, scattering ashes, family grave, and the significance of location. All options compared.
Planning a personalised funeral: themed funerals, music choices, dress code wishes, and creative memorial services.
Related pages
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