Inheritance

Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. In legal terms, succession refers to the process by which a deceased person’s rights and property are transferred to their heirs, while inheritance refers to the actual property or assets that those heirs receive.

Succession may occur either under the generally applicable statutory rules, referred to as intestate succession, or in accordance with the provisions set forth in a valid will. The rules for a testator to devise and bequeath private property and/or debts via will, often must be attested by a notary or by other lawful means.

Legal systems can differ significantly in how property passes from a deceased person to their heirs, with common law jurisdictions typically requiring formal probate procedures, while civil law systems often allow heirs to acquire ownership automatically by operation of law - the principle of saisine or seizin (Quebec). Provided by Wikipedia