A matter of trust

Trust is a fundamental factor in human coexistence. Unfortunately, trust often fails to withstand the rigours of everyday life. Building real trust is much more difficult than it might initially appear, because it is not given freely, it must be earned.

Convincing on a professional and personal level

We find it particularly difficult to find people we can trust when it comes to financial and personal matters. Who should be given insight into our emotional world when it comes to drawing up a will? Who has the necessary professional and personal qualities to carry out the distribution of an estate? Who can provide targeted and honest advice and assistance when selling a property? Who should be allowed to handle your confidential documents? Our specialists at Tenalis have the expertise, the social competence and a high level of empathy, meaning you can place your trust in us at any time.

Te-na-li-s

Tenalis is not a modified Latin word, but a word formation that encompasses our services: We specialise in wills (Testament), succession planning (Nachfolgeregelungen), property (Liegenschaften) and taxes (Steuern).

Estate planning using Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

For many people, the internet is the first stop for all kinds of questions, including those relating to estate planning. Online questionnaires generate wills after answering a few questions. AI-based chatbots are also used for estate planning. The answers and results are available in a matter of seconds. But are they legally correct? Were the answers prepared considering the law applicable in the specific case? Is this really the optimal solution for your situation? And was the estate administration also taken into account?

Optimal estate planning requires an analysis of the individual family and financial situation. A (human) estate planning specialist knows which questions need to be asked and clarified to draw up a legally correct estate plan that is tailored to your individual situation, and which also takes into account the tax consequences of the estate arrangements.

We are currently not aware of any tools or online questionnaires that ask the right tailored questions and collect all relevant information to create a legally sound and personalised solution. It cannot be ruled out that more dynamic online questionnaires will be developed in the future or that chatbots will improve. It is well known that AI learns, provided it is fed with the correct information.

But even if improved digital tools are available in the future, would you be willing to provide such an AI service with your highly private personal data and information regarding your family, taxes and finances?

Even if data protection agreements are in place, you no longer have control over the data you post on the internet. If you value comprehensive, reliable, trustworthy and legally sound advice and support in connection with your estate planning, our specialists will be happy to continue to assist you personally.

Does this sound familiar? Your financial and family situation differs from the norm in some respects. You own a property. You used pension fund money to purchase the property. You have no children, minor children or children from previous relationships, etc. Only you know the details of certain aspects of your situation. There are agreements with business partners and vague ideas about the distribution of your assets among your family members. With a few simple measures, you can ensure that your estate benefits optimally from the legal provisions and is transferred to your beneficiaries in a tax-optimised manner in accordance with your wishes.

Life does not always follow an orderly course. An unexpected situation may arise in which we are no longer legally competent – for example, after a serious accident, a stroke or because of dementia. Incapacitated – who will take care of me?

But the thing is, you simply haven't found the time to do it yet...

Do you know when you will pass away?

Do you know whether you will become incapacitated as a result of an accident or illness?

This is precisely why it is never too early to make arrangements and thereby support your family.

• I live with my partner – what will my partner receive after my death?

• How do I make a will? What do I need to pay particular attention to?

• Do I need a cohabitation agreement?

• What will happen to my pet? Can I make arrangements for this?

• What will happen to the pension fund money paid out in the event of death?

• I want my godchild to receive my watch after my death – how can I arrange this?

• I am getting married next month. My husband wants us to draw up a prenuptial agreement. Is this absolutely necessary?

• My future husband is a foreigner. What do I need to bear in mind?

• What can I do to ensure that my partner and our children are optimally provided for?

• How should a maintenance agreement be worded?

• I want to provide my wife/husband with the best possible security in the event of my death.

• My wife must be able to stay in our house.

• What do I need to bear in mind if my parents want to give me a gift/advance on inheritance for the purchase of a plot of land?

• How do I make a will? What do I need to pay particular attention to?

• We are currently looking to buy a house and are using pension fund money for this. Does this have any impact on our arrangements in the event of death?

• Our children do not look after us. Can I disinherit them?

• Our child cannot handle money. What can I do?

• Who will distribute my household goods and savings after my death? How does this work?

• What will happen to my pet? Can I make arrangements?

• I want my godchild to receive my watch after my death. How can I arrange this?

• My husband has adult children from his first marriage and we have a minor child together.

• How can I secure his education?

• I have heard that in such a family situation, arrangements must always be made. Is that correct?

• Do all children inherit equally?

• Can I favour individual children?

• Are my stepchildren also entitled to inherit?

• What should I bear in mind if I want to give a child a gift/advance payment for the purchase of a property?

• How do I make a will? What do I need to pay particular attention to?

• We are currently looking to buy a house and are using pension fund money for this. Does this have any impact on our arrangements in the event of death?

• His children do not look after us. Can I disinherit them?

• Our child cannot manage money, what can I do?

• Who will distribute my household belongings and savings after my death? How does this work?

• What will happen to my pet? Can I make arrangements for this?

• We are a childless married couple. Is it correct that our parents or siblings are entitled to inherit? Can I change this?

• How do I make a will? What should I pay particular attention to?

• We are going on a long trip soon. What happens if we die during the trip? Who will organise what needs to be done?

• We are about to buy a house and are using pension fund money to do so. How will this affect my arrangements in the event of my death?

• What will happen to my pet? Can I make arrangements?

• I want my godchild to receive my watch after I die – how should I go about this?

• I am a single parent. How can I protect my minor children in the event of my death?

• Will they have to go into care? Who will pay for their education? Can I leave instructions somewhere?

• How do I make a will? What should I pay particular attention to?

• My children do not look after me. Can I disinherit them?

• My child cannot handle money, what can I do?

• Who will distribute my household goods and savings after my death? How does that work?

• What will happen to my pet? Can I make arrangements?

• I want my godchild to receive my watch after my death – what should I do?

• What happens to the pension fund contributions in the event of death? Who is entitled to them?

• We have a house and have used pension fund money to pay for it. How does this affect things in the event of death?

• My husband should be able to stay in the property.

• Is usufruct or right of residence really the only solution?

• We don't want the children or the guardianship authority to be able to interfere in the event of death.

• In whose name should the new property be registered?

• Who will take care of me if I become incapable of making decisions? I have descendants. Will they automatically be appointed as guardians by the Child and Adult Protection Authority (KESB) and take over my representation?

• A friend of ours is in a coma in after an accident. What can I do to make provisions for such situations?

• Can my spouse/registered partner make my payments if I have dementia?

• What rights of representation does my spouse/registered partner/descendant have in the event of my incapacity?

• Who will continue to run my company if I am temporarily incapacitated?

• What happens if I do not draw up a lasting power of attorney and I become incapacitated?

• We have a flat/house. What happens to the mortgages, rental agreements, etc. if I am no longer capable of acting? Is the power of attorney still valid if I become incapacitated?

• When is the right time to draw up a lasting power of attorney?