Where clients get caught out
Families often wait for probate in their home country before contacting a Spanish lawyer. By then the six-month tax deadline may be close, and the extension can only be requested in the first five months.
Steps of an inheritance in Mallorca
| Step | What we do |
|---|---|
| Documents | Death certificate, certificate of last wills, will or declaration of heirs |
| NIEs and powers | NIEs for heirs and powers of attorney from abroad |
| Inheritance tax | Valuation, Balearic reliefs, filing within six months |
| Acceptance deed | Signed before a notary, with the partition of assets |
| Registry and banks | Registration of property, release of bank accounts |
Wills for foreign owners
We draft Spanish wills that choose the law of your nationality and coordinate with your will at home so one does not revoke the other. See Spanish wills for foreign owners.
Inheritance tax in the Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands offer large reliefs to spouses, children and parents, and non-resident heirs can apply them. Our colleagues at Castell.tax calculate and file the tax. See tax law.
Selling or keeping the inherited property
Once the inheritance is registered, heirs can keep the home or sell it. We coordinate both. See selling property in Mallorca.
Example: inheritance in Mallorca
Based on situations we commonly see; not a specific client. Three siblings in Germany, the UK and Canada inherited their father's apartment in Palma. With powers of attorney signed at local notaries, we obtained their NIEs, requested the tax extension, completed the inheritance and sold the apartment within ten months.
Our collaborators for inheritance in Mallorca
For every service we work with trusted collaborators when a matter needs them: notaries, architects and surveyors, tax advisers at Castell.tax, sworn translators, banks and mortgage brokers, property managers and specialist lawyers in other parts of Spain. You keep one lawyer as your single point of contact, and we coordinate everyone else.
Castell.law is the English and German-speaking practice of Castell Abogados, a law firm in Palma de Mallorca. This page is general information, not advice on a specific case: laws and procedures change, so check your situation with us before acting.
Not sure where you stand? Ask before you sign
Tell us about your matter or send us the documents you have. A lawyer will explain the risks, the options and the cost before you commit to anything.
Questions about inheritance in Mallorca
Do I need a Spanish will if I have one at home?
It is not compulsory, but it makes the Spanish inheritance far simpler.
What is the inheritance tax deadline?
Six months from the death, extendable by six if requested within the first five.
Can heirs abroad handle it remotely?
Yes, with powers of attorney.
Which country's law applies?
Habitual residence, unless the will chooses the law of nationality.