Wills in Switzerland: valid forms and forced shares after the reform

Holographic or public will, forced shares reduced since 2023 and the succession agreement: how to dispose of your estate validly and with peace of mind.

Swiss law recognises the holographic will, written entirely by hand, dated and signed, and the public will, drawn up by the notary and signed before two witnesses. The latter removes any doubt about form, capacity and intent.

Since 1 January 2023 the forced share of descendants has fallen to half of their statutory share and that of parents has been abolished: testators have more freedom to favour a spouse, partner or a child in greater need of protection.

Since 1 January 2023 the forced share of descendants has fallen to half of their statutory share and that of parents has been abolished: testators have more freedom to favour a spouse, partner or a child in greater need of protection.

The succession agreement, executed by the notary, allows binding arrangements between the parties, for example an heir’s renunciation or the allocation of the family business. Careful planning avoids conflicts between heirs and optimises the tax aspects.

The information is general and does not constitute legal advice. For your specific case, please contact us.