Pesänjakos

Pesänjakos is a Finnish legal term that translates to "division of an estate" or "estate partition." It refers to the legal process of distributing the assets and liabilities of a deceased person's estate among their heirs. This process typically begins after the estate inventory, which lists all the assets and debts of the deceased.

The division of an estate can be carried out in two main ways: by agreement between the heirs or through a court-ordered partition. If the heirs can unanimously agree on how the estate should be divided, they can draw up a formal partition agreement. This agreement must be legally binding and usually requires the involvement of a notary or a lawyer to ensure its validity.

If an agreement cannot be reached among the heirs, any one of them can petition the local district court to initiate a court-ordered estate partition. In this scenario, the court appoints an impartial executor, often a lawyer or a sworn valuer, who will manage the division process. The executor's role includes valuing the estate's assets, considering any pre-existing wills or inheritance laws, and proposing a division plan. The court then confirms the executor's proposal, or modifies it if necessary, to ensure a fair distribution according to Finnish law. The process aims to settle all claims against the estate and distribute the remaining assets to the rightful heirs.