~ Legal professionals, some questions/answers to assist you ~

• When the existence of a will has been established, who has to be contacted to obtain information about its content?

Information on the content of the will is communicated by the legatees, the executor of the will or the administrator of the succession, as appropriate.

• Who is entitled to receive the information?

The important thing is that the legal heirs and the beneficiaries should all get information about the existence of a will. This is to find out if the beneficiaries will appeal to the will and also to protect the legal heirs´ rights (in Finland the direct heirs always have the right to get their lawful share regardless of the will).

• Is there a particular procedure to be followed? If so, which one?

In Finland, there are no regulations about opening a will nor register of wills. A will can be found, for example, from the testator´s home or a safe-deposit box in a bank, or from a lawyer´s office. Sometimes it is not found at all. An important procedure concerns the service of wills. When a will is found, the beneficiaries named in the will have to make a service of the will to the legal heirs. If there are several beneficiaries, a service effected by one of them is enough. The service is absolutely essential, because without this the will won´t become legally valid. If an hair wishes to contest the will, a 6 month time limitation of actions will start running from the date of serving the notice. An action for annulment must be brought in the district court of the last domicile of the testator.

• By what means must the information be sent?

The information contained in the will and/or a copy of the will itself must be served by post or electronically in a verifiable manner. The heirs must be provided a certified copy of the will.

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