Overview
- Notarial figures reported Tuesday put Galicia at 11,090 intestate files last year, with Ourense handling 41.5% of inheritances without a will.
- When no will exists, families must obtain a death certificate and a Ministry of Justice “last will” certificate before a notary can name the heirs.
- The notary requires documents that prove family links and two witnesses who confirm the known heirs, which still cannot rule out later claims by unknown relatives.
- After the heirs are declared, notaries wait about 20 working days to formalize the act, and heirs face a six‑month deadline to file and pay inheritance tax.
- Lawyers say intestate cases take longer, can cost up to four times more, and can end up in court, while a simple will that often costs under 50 euros avoids most of the burden.