Episode 1/9
When people think about inheritance, they often focus on how assets will be divided after someone passes away.
In reality, estate planning goes far beyond that.
It involves thinking about how your wealth will be transferred, but also about how to protect the people who depend on you and preserve the assets you have spent a lifetime building.
Your estate may include:
bank accounts and savings;
investment portfolios;
real estate;
a family business;
occupational pension assets;
Pillar 3a savings;
life insurance policies;
valuable personal belongings and family heirlooms.
Beyond their financial value, these assets raise important personal questions.
Will your spouse remain financially secure?
Can the family home be preserved?
Will your children be treated according to your wishes?
Can your business continue under the next generation?
Estate planning is therefore not only about wealth. It is also about people, continuity and peace of mind.
Estate planning is not only for people approaching retirement.
It is an ongoing process that should evolve alongside your family, your wealth and your plans for the future.
Any significant change in your family or financial circumstances provides a valuable opportunity to review your plans.
Swiss law provides several tools that can be combined according to your objectives.
Estate planning should never be considered purely a legal matter.
A well-designed strategy may need to bring together:
inheritance law;
the matrimonial property regime;
pension planning;
life insurance;
taxation;
real estate;
business succession;
personal and family objectives.
A will can express your wishes, but it does not replace pension beneficiary arrangements or create liquidity where assets are tied up in property or a business.
For married couples, the matrimonial property regime is particularly important. It determines which assets belong to the surviving spouse before the estate is opened and can therefore have a considerable impact on the amount ultimately distributed under inheritance law.
The real value of estate planning lies in bringing all of these elements together.
The information presented in this series is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute personalised legal, tax or wealth planning advice. Family, financial and tax circumstances vary, and the implications of an inheritance or wealth transfer may differ significantly from one situation to another. Before making any decision, you should seek advice from a qualified specialist who can assess your individual circumstances.