To begin with
A good inventory starts with simple questions: what was there, who owned it and what proof do we have? The aim is completeness, even when something still needs to be investigated.
“First establish, then interpret.”
Your questions, step by step
Are you not exactly sure which assets and debts there are? We help bring order to the information and discuss what still needs to be investigated.
Why do I go to the notaire for this?
An inventory makes visible which goods, debts and evidence exist. The civil-law notary discusses when a formal description of the estate is required or advisable.
How do we fully map out the inheritance?
Collect data from banks, real estate and other valuables.
Include debts, claims and proofs of ownership.
Determine the required form and involved persons and discuss the result.
How does this proceed and how long does it take?
The duration depends on the accessibility of documents, valuations and involved parties. An inventory does not automatically extend other procedural or filing deadlines.
Which documents should I provide to the notaire?
Prepare what you already have. You do not need to wait until your folder is complete to make an appointment.
Is a document missing or do you not know where to find it? Check the help for each document. We will discuss what the office can obtain for you and what you still need to provide yourself.
Where can I find this?
Provide what you already have from the municipality, bank or notaire. If a document is missing, provide the name, date and place of death. The office will check what it can obtain itself.
Where can I find this?
Request the document from your bank or download it from your own online banking environment. State the date and file reference. Provide statements, never passwords or access codes.
Where can I find this?
Search in your deed folder, Izimi or Mijn akten. Cannot find the deed? Provide the address, estimated date and possibly the previous notarial office; we will see how to request a copy.
Where can I find this?
Request the policy and any payout letter from your insurer or broker. Mention the insured party, beneficiary and contract reference.
Where can I find this?
Provide the report with date and name of the appraiser. If there is no valuation yet, do not order one without consultation: first discuss what valuation is needed.
These check marks only remain on the opened page and are not sent to the office.
Open the checklist: ready, need help or not applicableWhat does the notaire do and investigate?
- Which goods and debts fall within the assignment?
- Who truly owns the goods?
- Who must participate and which formal inventory is necessary?
- Which valuations or additional documents are missing?
We agree on which searches the office will conduct and which information you, your bank or another expert will provide.
What do I check before the next step?
Check which goods belonged to the deceased and which belong to someone else. Report goods that are located elsewhere or have meanwhile been moved.
What else must I arrange afterwards?
Keep the inventory and underlying evidence safe. Report additions and coordinate the further management and division.
Which practical tips can help me?
Take photos and make a list before goods are moved. Note who is keeping something.
What do these words mean?
- Claim
- money or a performance that someone is still owed by another.
- Estate
- the entirety of the involved goods and debts.
Where can I find more explanation or help?
You do not have to phrase your question in legal terms. Tell what concerns you, what you want to arrange and if an important date is approaching.
We will look together at the next step. We agree in advance on how the office will assist you and what costs are involved.
Ask your question to the officeMake an AppointmentGeneral explanation for your preparation. The rules and documents that apply to you are determined based on your file.
On this page
What do you include in the overview?
Make a list per bank, insurance, house, land, vehicle and other relevant assets. Also consider shares in a family business, money someone still had to repay to the deceased, and foreign possessions. Note debts separately.
Keep the origin for each amount: a bank balance on the date of death, a statement from the creditor or an invoice. An amount without a date can lead to misunderstandings. Write “unknown” where you do not yet have proof.
A simple example
A daughter finds a signed paper showing that a friend of her father still owes money. That is possibly a claim of the estate. The fact that the money is not in the account does not make it unimportant.
Practical tip. Note per item: document present, requested or still to be examined. That way you immediately see where follow-up is needed.
How do you value a property?
For the declaration, the value on the date of death is crucial. The asking price you choose later is not automatically that value. There are different ways to substantiate the valuation.
| Option | What do you need to know? |
|---|---|
| Indicate a value yourself | You substantiate the value. The tax authorities can verify this. |
| Engage a recognised appraiser-expert | Ask whether the report meets the requirements set by Vlabel. Recognition and a usable report are important. |
| Request a binding appraisal from Vlabel | A free option for Belgian real estate within Flemish inheritance tax. The appraisal binds Vlabel for tax calculation. |
A binding appraisal must be requested before the declaration and in time within the applicable filing deadline. The request does not extend this deadline. If the report is not yet available, you may not simply delay the declaration; Vlabel provides the mention “ABS”.
Practical tip. Also report defects, occupancy and relevant characteristics. An accurate description helps more than just an address and surface area.
Which debts and costs are taken into account?
Not every invoice after death is automatically a debt of the deceased. We investigate the origin, the proof and the fiscal deductibility. For certain items you can choose between a flat rate and actual proven costs. Which combination is possible depends on the rules and the situation.
Also provide information about a funeral insurance. Its presence can influence the processing of funeral costs. The office needs to see the data to explain the correct choice.
Practical tip. Make a list of all costs, even if you do not know whether they are deductible. Leave the legal selection to the investigation; do not pre-select only what you think “definitely may” be included.
Old transfers and life insurances
An insurance can pay out money to a certain beneficiary. A gift may have occurred years ago. Both can still raise questions for the declaration or the relationship between heirs. Therefore, note the policy, involved persons, date and documents.
A useful question is: “Should this be declared, settled between heirs, or both?” This keeps the fiscal and civil law questions separate. Read how we consider gifts and insurances in the declaration file.
Is this list already an inventory of the estate?
No. A preparatory list is a working document. A formal inventory of the estate is a legal act with its own rules, for example in the context of a protective acceptance. The civil-law notary explains when this is necessary and what cooperation is expected.
Do not sell or divide goods to make the list “simpler”. Indicate which goods are present and which have already been moved. The order of actions can have consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions
FROM READING TO PREPARATION
Already a first answer.
What can I do if many things happen to me at once?
Start with one overview: contacts, received letters, ongoing appointments and questions. Use the topics and checklist on this page to divide the preparation. Immediately mention dated letters to the office.
Must one heir collect everything alone?
You can divide practical tasks among yourselves and keep track of who has which information. That alone does not indicate who may legally act. Discuss with the office who provides information and who should be involved in decisions.
Where can I find help with administration?
Our separate page about administration after death bundles practical information for subscriptions and services. The inheritance guide also assists you with the documents for the notaire and the progress of the declaration.
Help with subscriptions and administrationEASY PREPARATION
Your checklist: inventory of an estate
Which documents do you prepare, where do you find them and when can the office assist? Indicate what you have and where you need support.
Useful websites on this topic
RELIABLE CONTINUED READING
View sources and practical websites
FROM FIRST QUESTION TO NEXT STEP
You do not have to figure it out alone.
Getting an overview
We bring together those involved, available documents and your questions.
Understanding choices
We discuss what needs to be examined and which decisions lie ahead.
Further settlement
We agree on which formalities the office will handle and what else is required from you.
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