How does Italian succession law work? Succession law in Italy is based on the Roman Law principle which protects close members of the family. This partially limits the right of a testator to dispose of assets. Testamentary Succession is the assignment of the hereditary assets in compliance with the wishes of the testator as set […]
How does Italian law define dormant accounts? According to Italian law, a dormant account contains a sum over €100 that has not been moved by the owner for a period of 10 years. A dormant account may be with a bank or other financial institution and can be an account or financial instrument. This includes […]
If you are buying Italian property, never sign any paperwork without fully understanding the implications The most important piece of advice for expats buying Italian property is that they should never sign any paperwork without getting it checked. If you don’t fully understand all the legal implications of paperwork, your signature could result in potential financial […]
What are usucapione property rights? Usucapione property rights in Italy date back to Roman law. The closest terms to Usucapione in common law are limitation of rights and adverse possession. According to Roman law, so long as someone didn’t take possession of an asset through theft or force, usucapione allowed them to become the lawful proprietor […]
Should you have a survey before you buy property in Italy? Because for most people buying a property is a major expense, not commissioning an Italian property survey is a false economy. A surveyor, “geometra”, will provide you with invaluable information and support during the property purchasing process. This information will help save you money […]
Introducing the Italian rent to buy scheme In September 2014, the Italian parliament introduced measures to revitalise the property real estate sector. Measures include an Italian rent to buy scheme as part of the Sblocca Italia – Unlock Italy – decree (Article 23 of Legislative Decree 133/2014). The Italian rent to buy scheme has two […]
Italy is a popular country for second or holiday home ownership. Think long term. If you are buying or already own a property in Italy, do you want to keep your Italian holiday home in the family for future generations? It is advisable, ideally as part of your overall estate plan, to look at how […]
Dreaming of building your own place in Italy? In pursuit of their Italian dream home, some people decide on self-build projects in Italy. If you are thinking of building a house in Italy, we would always advise you to seek independent legal advice before signing any paperwork to do with a land-purchase. Even, if on […]
Are you resident or domiciled in Italy? In this article, we compare being resident or domiciled in Italy and explore the tax implications. According to Italian tax law, individual tax residency is pursuant to tests. An individual may find themselves tax resident although they only have relatively minor contacts with Italy. This might be property ownership, […]
Inheriting an Italian estate Under Italian inheritance law, beneficiaries not only inherit a share of the deceased’s estate, they are also liable for any debts. If debts exceed the value of assets, heirs may choose to waive their inheritance. In this article, we discuss renouncing or accepting Italian inheritance. How does accepting an Italian inheritance work? The beneficiary […]
