In Germany, Article 14 of the Basic Law guarantees everyone the right to inherit their property or to become an heir themselves. There are many legal regulations, especially in the Civil Code, as to who is entitled to the inheritance in a specific case and what rights and obligations should be associated with the position as heir. However, many of these regulations are not mandatory and can be designed by the testator - the bequeathing person - according to his or her individual wishes. 

We have already explained in a separate article in which form the testator can record his wishes . 

However, special attention should be paid to formulating this so-called "last will" precisely and unambiguously and only making regulations that are also legally permissible. After the death of the testator, he or she can no longer be asked how he or she really meant a sentence in his or her will if it was formulated in an ambiguous way, or what should apply instead if a legally inadmissible regulation was ordered. It is therefore always advisable, especially when regulating inheritance, to seek advice from a lawyer experienced in this area of ​​law. 

Als „Erbfolge“ bezeichnet man die Systematik, nach der sich bestimmt, wer der rechtmäßige Erbe eines Verstorbenen ist. 

Hat der verstorbene Erblasser seinen letzten Willen weder in einem Erbvertrag noch in einem Testament festgehalten, bestimmt sich der Erbe nach der gesetzlichen Erbfolge, die im 5. Buch des BGB in den §§ 1924 ff. BGB geregelt ist. Entscheidend ist hiernach der Verwandtschaftsgrad zwischen dem Erblasser und der möglicherweise erbenden Person.