Inheritance & Will Lawyers in Lebanon.
Estate planning, wills, reserved portions, lifetime gifts and cross-border succession, for residents, expatriates and foreign owners of Lebanese assets.
Mattar Law Firm is a leading Beirut practice for inheritance and estate work. We draft, register and safeguard wills; advise heirs on their reserved portions and disposable shares; structure lifetime gifts; coordinate cross-border estates; and represent clients before the competent Lebanese courts, in the shortest delays permitted by law.
Which inheritance law applies?
Inheritance in Lebanon is not governed by a single statute. For non-Muslims, the law of 1959 governs inheritance and testamentary dispositions. For Muslims, the applicable rules are those of their own community. For foreigners, connecting factors (nationality, domicile, situs of the assets) determine the applicable law, subject to Lebanese public policy.
Is there a reserved portion?
Depending on the applicable law, a reserved portion (réserve héréditaire) is guaranteed to specific heirs, most often descendants and, in some regimes, the surviving spouse. The disposable share, which the deceased may freely dispose of by will or lifetime gift, corresponds to what remains after the reserved portion is set aside. Careful planning is required to avoid disputes and later reduction actions.
Is it advisable to make a will?
A properly drafted will helps organize the transmission of the estate, minimize disputes, and, within the limits of the reserved portion, favour certain heirs, third parties or charitable causes. Lebanese law recognizes several forms of will (notarial, holographic, mystic), each with its own conditions of validity. We draft and register wills, and audit existing ones to identify risks of contestation.
Lifetime gifts
The property owner may, during their lifetime, gift assets to their spouse, children or third parties, subject to specific formalities and to the reserved portion of protected heirs. Gifts can be a very efficient planning tool but must be structured carefully to avoid tax friction and future reduction actions.
Common inheritance issues
- ◆Contested wills and actions for reduction
- ◆Undivided estates (indivision) and requests for partition
- ◆Cross-border estates involving assets in several countries
- ◆Recognition of foreign wills and probate decisions in Lebanon
- ◆Inheritance disputes between spouses, children and step-children
- ◆Foreigners inheriting Lebanese assets and Lebanese heirs abroad
- ◆Inheritance across different religions
Foreigners and mixed families
Foreign heirs, mixed families and expatriates form a large part of our inheritance caseload. We coordinate with notaries and counsel in the deceased's country of residence, secure the recognition of foreign decisions in Lebanon and, where useful, plan cross-border structures during the client's lifetime.