Economou & Co LLC has published the second guide in its Cyprus succession law series, examining how the Wills and Succession Law, Cap. 195 limits testamentary freedom and distributes estates among statutory heirs.

Forced heirship rules in Cyprus reserve a significant part of every estate for close family members regardless of the terms of the will. The extent of that reservation, and how it shifts depending on which relatives survive the deceased, is something many testators and beneficiaries do not fully appreciate. The guide sets out how the statutory and disposable portions are determined, which family configurations trigger the forced heirship rules, and what the law does with gifts that exceed the permitted limits.

The guide also covers the formal requirements for a valid will and the consequences of defective execution; the circumstances in which a testamentary gift may fail; the events that can revoke a will by operation of law; the grounds on which a will may be challenged; and the order in which statutory heirs take in intestacy or from the reserved portion of the estate. It forms part of a series that began with the firm's guide on probate and estate administration in Cyprus.

Read the full guide:

Wills, Forced Heirship and Inheritance Rights under Cyprus Law