Discover Germany | Business | Rechtsanwälte Petersen
Portraits: Jens Petersen (far left) Jutta Petersen (left)
always advise people to rule the succession in each country separately according to the state’s laws, drawing up a testament in each,”explains Petersen, who often works together with a network of local partners to ensure the procedures are done accordingly.
Dealing with inheritances in an international context Losing a family member, a parent or sibling, is never easy and often enough the accompanying paperwork makes it more burdensome. What is not commonly known is that when it comes to handling inheritances one can get the professional help of lawyers like those at Petersen Rechtsanwälte. TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES
“Most heirs want a dignified funeral for their relative and even the notion is unbearable that the interior of a deceased’s home, maybe even precious mementos could be simply thrown away,”says lawyer Jens Petersen. Often enough heirs need help with the many regulations that have to be considered when dealing with an inheritance. It is simply impossible to get an overview without having studied the legal situation for years. International inheritance laws have become more and more important in recent years, because people have become more mobile and have properties in foreign countries. Take for example someone who has moved to another country to work there, buys a
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house and in later years moves back to his home country without selling it. The same problem arises when someone moves for example to the Mediterranean when retiring. This means their heirs are suddenly confronted with two legal systems. “We
With 20 years of expertise, Petersen also knows how to avoid costly mistakes.“Compare it to building a house: Of course you can theoretically do everything on your own, but it will probably be more cost efficient to commission an architect.” Petersen, who not only consults clients but also quite often works as lawyer at court, offers full service solutions from settling the inheritance to selling a property. This often is a genuine relief for those who have lost a dear person:“As an heir you are suddenly confronted with managing two lives: your own and that of the deceased.” Without professional help this often leaves people no time to grieve. Legacy is important for Jens Petersen on quite a personal level. It was his father who introduced him to this field of law after working in it for many years. The law office now exists in the third generation – an important factor for many clients putting their trust in a family tradition. www.petersen-nachlassverwaltungen.de