Anyone who wants to preserve wealth across generations must actively shape their estate.

In Germany, succession law is closely linked to tax law. Inheritance and gift taxes account for roughly 1.5% of the public budget. Accordingly, political and tax questions often take centre stage in public debate. The concrete design of individual estates receives little attention.

Even in private life, arranging one's own estate is often put off or not addressed at all. As a result, its later distribution is often not actively shaped but follows statutory fallback rules. These rules provide a legal framework, but they can only take a family's individual situation into account to a very limited extent.

Anyone who does not know these rules will struggle to assess how they affect their own situation. The consequences often only become visible when an estate is settled – for example through unused planning options, additional costs, or arrangements that do not match what those involved originally had in mind. Responsibilities and expectations within the family also often remain unclear as a result.