Arvsdokumentet

Arvsdokumentet is a term used in Nordic languages, primarily Swedish and Norwegian, to refer to documents connected with inheritance and succession. It is not a single standardized legal instrument, but a generic label for records produced during the settlement of an estate.

Contents commonly associated with arvsdokumentet may include a will (testamente), an inventory of the deceased’s assets and debts (bouppteckning in Sweden; arveoppgjør or skifte in Norway), decisions or orders distributing assets to heirs, appointments of executors, and notices of claims by creditors or rights of surviving spouses and minor children. The exact documents involved vary by country and local practice.

Legal status and procedures differ by jurisdiction. Some elements require formal execution with witnesses, notaries, or court approval; others may be private records later filed with tax authorities or probate courts. The arvsdokumentet may be prepared by relatives, lawyers, or public authorities, and may be stored in family archives, civil registry offices, or national archives.

Purposes include identifying rightful heirs, resolving debts, transferring property, and providing an evidentiary trail for taxation and civil registration. Researchers and genealogists may consult arvsdokumentet to trace family relationships and property history, though access rules vary and some records are restricted to heirs or under privacy laws.

See also: will, testament, estate inventory, probate, arveoppgjør, bouppteckning, skifte.