Private.
Every individual has legal matters. For our experienced family law team, private legal matters are close to the heart. We want to help you when you are planning your legal situation, want to prepare for the future or are in a situation where it is topical to draft legal documents.
Together we will survey your situation and give you practical solutions to your problems. We always act in your best interests and in close cooperation with you. That also includes our invoicing.
Our invoicing is based on time spent and is 290-310 €/hour, including VAT, depending on the assignment. Our invoicing is transparent; We will always provide you with a breakdown of the time spent. Due to our experience, we are cost-effective.
We strongly believe in amicable solutions, but we are also ready to represent you in extensive dispute proceedings.
Tough – but fair.
Family & Inheritance Law
Everyone faces situations in their lives where they need an expert in family law. We want to help you when you or your loved ones need individual, reliable and experienced help in family law matters.
Our knowledgeable and experienced lawyers will help you prepare in advance for life’s turning points. We will draw up prenuptial agreements, wills, deeds of gift and continuing powers of attorney. With good proactive planning with us, you can carry out your wishes in the best possible way and prevent disputes from arising in the future, as well as effectively influence tax implications. From time to time, it also makes sense to check with a lawyer whether the documents you have previously prepared are still up-to-date.
Our experts will also help and support you when your loved one has passed away and you need help with estate inventory and distribution of inheritance. Also when a divorce is imminent and you need help distributing your property. We'll help you map out your options and discuss the potential tax implications with you.
We strongly believe that it is worth seeking an amicable solution in family law matters, and we want to promote reconciliation through our work. We can act as a joint assistant for both parties in preparing and drafting agreements or as a representative for one party in settlement negotiations. However, sometimes reconciliation is not possible, and we can also act as your assistant when an inheritance or division dispute is resolved by an estate distributor, or a general court.
If you and your loved ones value a knowledgeable and experienced advisor who is easily approachable and knows how to consider your family’s overall situation in family law planning and resolving matters, Vestra is the right choice.
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A will is a document through which a person can determine how their property will be distributed after their death. Without a will, the deceased’s estate will be divided according to the law among the legal heirs.
A will can be made alone or jointly with someone, such as a spouse. A will made by two people together is called a mutual will. A well-drafted will ensures that the property is distributed according to the deceased’s own wishes.
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When a person living in Finland dies, an estate inventory must be conducted. The estate inventory must be carried out within three months of the person's death. Additional time for conducting the estate inventory can be requested from the tax authorities. During the estate inventory, an inventory deed (perukirja) is created.
The estate inventory deed lists the heirs of the estate, meaning those individuals who have the right to make decisions together regarding the estate's affairs. The deed also includes the assets and liabilities of the estate as well as other information required for the administration and distribution of the estate.
The estate inventory deed is an important document for managing the estate's banking affairs and distributing the estate. The estate inventory deed is also a notification to the tax authorities, and inheritance taxes are determined based on the information in the estate Inventory deed.
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The distribution of inheritance can only be carried out after the estate inventory. If the deceased was married, a division of property (ositus) and/or separation of property (erottelu) must also be done before the inheritance can be distributed.
The most common way to divide an inheritance is to agree on it among the heirs. In this case, the heirs themselves agree on what kind of property each heir will receive from the estate. An inheritance distribution agreement is drawn up on the distribution of inheritance.
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According to the law, spouses have a marital right to the property of the other spouse. Marital right means that when a marriage ends, either through divorce of death, the assets and debts of the spouses are combined, and each spouse is entitled to half of the total assets.
With a prenuptial agreement, spouses or future spouses can influence the extent of the right to each other's property. For example, the spouses can agree that they have no marital rights to each other's property, in which case each spouse keeps his/her own assets when the marriage ends. Spouses can also agree that there is no marital right to certain property or that the extent of the marital right depends on whether the marriage ends in divorce or death.
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With a prenuptial agreement, the spouses agree on the property to which the spouses have marital right. A prenuptial agreement is the only agreement by which the spouses themselves can bindingly determine the scope of their marital rights.
The spouses can also draw up an agreement in case of divorce, which complements the prenuptial agreement. With an agreement for divorce, spouses can agree in advance, in binding manner, on how the property will be divided if the marriage ends in divorce. In addition, the agreement can address the division of shared assets, matters related to children and proactively resolve other issues that might cause disputes.
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Divorce is filed with the district court. Divorce can be filed alone or together with the spouse. The divorce process begins once the application arrives at the district court. When the divorce process is initiated the spouses' property can be distributed. If the spouses have had marital right to each other's property, the distribution of marital property is carried out.
If, for example due to a prenuptial agreement, the spouses do not have marital right to each other's property, the division of property is called separation. Often the spouses have both property that needs to be distributed and property that needs to be separated.
A written agreement on distribution and/or separation must be drawn up. The agreement indicates which property each party will receive in the division/separation. Although the marriage ends in divorce, the financial relationship between the spouses does not end until the distribution of property/separation has been completed.
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According to the law, cohabiting partners do not have the same rights or obligations as married spouses. Therefore, it is important for cohabiting partners to agree on financial matters related to their relationship.
With a cohabitation agreement (avoehto), partners can, for example, agree on how they want to arrange their financial matters in the event of separation and how shared assets will be divided.
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Continuing power of attorney allows a person to prepare in advance for a situation in which they are no longer able to manage their own affairs. With a continuing power of attorney, the person can decide who will handle their affairs if they are no longer able to do so, for example due to illness or disability.
Acting based on a continuing power of attorney is a lighter and more flexible way to manage affairs compared to traditional guardianship. The continuing power of attorney comes into effect only after a doctor has confirmed the need for guardianship and the Digital and Population Data Services Agency has validated the power of attorney.
Property arrangements
Have you considered transferring assets to your children or other loved ones? Do you want to support your child or other close ones financially? Or have you already made such property arrangements that it would be wise to formalize in writing? Our experienced lawyers are here to help.
We will map out your situation and plan with you how you can best support your loved ones financially in the way you desire. For example, you can give a gift or an advance inheritance or sell your property to them at a low cost.
We will inform you of alternative solutions and help you choose the best ones for you. We will thoroughly and practically discuss with you the impact different options may have on your family's finances and estate planning. In our consultation, we always take into account tax aspects.
Sometimes legal actions are taken within the close family without a written agreement. Vestra's lawyers have extensive experience in family law. We have seen firsthand how legal actions between loved ones can lead to unnecessary misunderstandings later on. We strongly believe that matters within the family should always be agreed upon in writing so that all parties are aware what has been agreed. A written agreement helps prevent possible ambiguities and disputes in the future, so drawing up a written agreement is in the interest of all parties. Our experts will draft individualized documents, such as promissory notes and contracts, that suit your specific situation.
If you and your loved ones value a knowledgeable and experienced advisor who is approachable and can take into account your family's overall situation in family law planning and resolution of issues, Vestra is the right choice.
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It is always a good idea to draw up a deed when making a donation. The deed of gift serves as proof of the transfer of ownership and binds the donor. In the deed of gift, it is a good idea to take a stand on whether the gift constitutes advance inheritance for the recipient. In the deed of gift, the donor may also reserve the right to retain control over the donated asset or specify that the recipient’s spouse does not have marital right to the donated property.
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A deed of sale must be drawn up for the sale of housing shares and real estate. The deed serves as proof of the transfer of ownership and the agreed terms of the transaction. When drawing up the deed of sale, care must be taken to include all the terms of the transaction.
When drawing up a deed of sale of real estate, it must be ensured that the deed of sale meets the formal requirements of the law. In addition to the parties, the signing ceremony of the deed of sale of real estate must have a public purchase witness (kaupanvahvistaja) who confirms the sale with their own signature.
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It is advisable to draw up a deed of sale whenever selling property of significant value, such as a car, boat or vacation property, are sold. The deed of sale serves as proof of the transfer of ownership and the agreed terms of the transaction.
The buyer can present the deed of sale as proof of the transfer of ownership and have the ownership registered. On the other hand, the deed of sale also helps avoid potential future disbutes about what has been agreed upon as the agreed terms are documented in a contract signed by both parties.
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It is always a good idea to make a promissory note on the debt. The promissory note serves both parties and, for example, the tax authorities as proof of what has been agreed upon regarding the debt.
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The agreement on the division of possession may, for example, specify who has the right to use specific parts of the land or buildings of the property. The agreement may also take a stand on matters related to, for example, parking spaces, access routes, property maintenance and distribution of costs.
Family Law Dispute Resolution
Our family law dispute resolution team primarily intends to facilitate reconciliation between the parties and solve situations in a manner resulting in mutual agreement.
Sometimes disagreements are unavoidable. Our specialists assist in situations where, for one reason or another, different views have arisen between the parties. With our professional lawyer, you will be able to map out the risks associated with your dispute and receive personal advice on how to proceed.
Sometimes the resolution may require the assignment of an estate distributor. In such situations, our experienced lawyers will help you through the legal process.
Our team has experience in resolving disputes in various areas of family law. Our experienced lawyers help our clients in various negotiation situations, estate distribution processes and general courts.
Vestra’s family law dispute resolution team is the right choice for you who are looking for an efficient, humane expert who aims to achieve the optimal outcome for the customer. We support you all the way until the end of a potentially lengthy legal process.