pärandumist

Pärandumist is an Estonian term used to describe the process by which a deceased person’s estate is transferred to heirs or legatees. It encompasses notification of death, inventorying assets and liabilities, paying debts, and distributing remaining property in accordance with law or a valid will. The procedure typically begins with opening the succession, after which an administrator or executor may be appointed to manage assets and satisfy claims of creditors.

In Estonia, as in many jurisdictions, succession can proceed in two main forms: testate succession, where the deceased left a will specifying beneficiaries and bequests, and intestate succession, where the estate is distributed according to statutory rules among closest relatives. The heirs or beneficiaries receive property in proportion to the applicable rules and any bequests in the will.

Key actors in pärandumist include heirs, legatees, executors or administrators, notaries or courts that supervise the process, and creditors. Real property and movable assets may be transferred to new owners through title changes and registrations. Debts and taxes owed by the deceased are settled from the estate before distribution.

The term signifies a formal legal process with defined timelines and requirements, and outcomes depend on the interplay of testamentary documents, statutory succession rules, and applicable tax provisions. Pärandumist therefore reflects both the rights of heirs and the duties surrounding the orderly settlement of a deceased person’s affairs.