Wills & Probate in Cyprus
Preparing a Will gives you the opportunity to record your wishes, provide for your loved ones and identify who should administer your estate. Careful advice helps ensure that your arrangements reflect your intentions and comply with the applicable law.
At AGPLAW, we assist individuals and families with preparing and reviewing wills, obtaining probate or letters of administration, and administering estates in Cyprus. We also advise clients whose family connections or assets extend across different countries.
From planning ahead to supporting a family after bereavement, we provide clear guidance and practical assistance at each stage.
Wills & Estate Planning
A will should reflect your family circumstances, the assets you own and the people you wish to benefit. It should also work alongside any existing trusts, business ownership arrangements and overseas wills.
Our services include:
- Preparing and Reviewing Wills - Drafting wills tailored to your circumstances and reviewing existing documents following changes in your family, assets or intentions.
- Inheritance Rights - Advising on the applicable succession rules and any restrictions affecting how your estate may be distributed.
- Choosing Executors - Explaining the role of an executor and helping you consider appropriate appointments.
- Signing and Safekeeping - Guiding you through the relevant execution formalities and arrangements for storing your will.
- Family Provision - Advising on arrangements for spouses, partners, children and other intended beneficiaries, including minors and those requiring additional support.
Where your objectives extend to lifetime gifts, business interests or the transfer of wealth between generations, our Wealth & Succession Planning services provide a broader framework.
Where a trust may form part of those arrangements, we work alongside our Trusts & Trustee Services team to coordinate the relevant documents and ownership structures.
Aiming at keeping our Will & Probate lawyers up to date and in full awareness of international Will Writing trends, AGPLAW through Angelos Paphitis (TEP) is subject to and bound by the rules of the Will Writing Code set from STEP of England & Wales, authorized to the use of the Will Writing Code logo.
Following a death, families may need assistance with the legal and practical steps required to deal with the estate. These can include confirming who is authorised to act, identifying assets and liabilities, and arranging distributions to those entitled.
Probate & Estate Administration
We assist executors, administrators and beneficiaries with:
- Probate Applications - Applying for a grant of probate where there is a valid will and an executor able and willing to act.
- Letters of Administration - Advising on applications where there is no will or where an administrator is required despite the existence of a will.
- Estate Assets and Liabilities - Identifying and collecting assets, establishing liabilities and coordinating necessary valuations.
- Administration and Compliance - Liaising with banks, public authorities and other relevant parties, and addressing applicable tax and administrative requirements.
- Accounts and Distributions - Preparing estate accounts and arranging transfers or distributions once the necessary steps have been completed.
Our lawyers can also act as executors or administrators where appropriately appointed, with the scope of their role and fees explained at the outset.
An estate involving assets or family members in more than one country requires coordinated advice. The location of property, the deceased’s personal circumstances and existing wills can affect the steps required.
International Estates
We advise on the Cyprus aspects of international estates and work with overseas lawyers and tax advisers where necessary.
Our support includes:
- Coordinating Wills - Reviewing how Cyprus and overseas wills operate together and addressing unintended inconsistencies or revocations.
- Applicable Succession Law - Assessing which succession rules apply and whether a choice of law is available and appropriate.
- Overseas Grants - Advising on the recognition or resealing of foreign grants in Cyprus where available, or the need for a local application.
- Cross-Border Administration - Coordinating the treatment of Cyprus assets within a wider international estate.
If a will is challenged, inheritance rights are disputed or concerns arise about the administration of an estate, our private client and disputes teams can advise on the available options.
Visit our Trust, Estate & Inheritance Disputes page for information about our contentious services.
Get In Touch
Senior Court Clerk & Probation Consultant
