How can you make the best possible provisions for your life partner? Is it possible to grant an advance inheritance without disadvantaging the other heirs? Could your instructions breach the rules pertaining to statutory compulsory portions? And have you taken all formal regulations for a testament or an inheritance agreement into account?

Estate planning is complex and has far-reaching consequences. These are often only difficult to foresee. In order to ensure that you plan your estate in accordance with your wishes and ideas, and make the most of the various options open to you, you should speak to an expert. At VZ we advise you when drawing up your testament or inheritance agreement, and support you in conjunction with all necessary steps. 

Nowadays, many people inherit at an age when they have already built up their own wealth and do not depend on the inherited money. Since an inheritance affects the total assets, it is worthwhile, however, to realign the income and asset situation. Talk to us: your financial consultant will assess how you can best structure your mortgages, investments, insurance policies and occupational benefits.

Do you own property that you wish to bequeath to your nearest and dearest? And do you want to prevent them having to pass up to half of this to the state in the form of tax? Because inheritance tax rates vary substantially from canton to canton, you can take effective measures as a testator to optimise your estate in tax terms. Whether by relocating, buying real estate, establishing a usufruct or a staggered advance inheritance: The options available to you are as varied as your needs.

Get information in good time from an independent expert about how you can pass your estate on in a tax-optimised manner. VZ estate consultants will show how you can optimise your inheritance taxes, and will help you initiate the associated necessary measures.

Do you want to provide your partner with financial security following your death? And do you want to ensure that the inheritance partitioning has been well-prepared and is settled smoothly? Then you should not delay your estate planning.

Whether by means of a community of acquisitions, by switching to a community of property or establishing a usufruct to the entire estate. The criteria determining the selection of the right measures are your family circumstances and the composition of the matrimonial assets. Ask your experienced VZ estate experts for independent advice about which is the right approach for you.

Are you thinking about passing a portion of your assets on to your descendants during your own lifetime? Do you want to minimise your tax burden in this conjunction? And do you want to know whether your financial circumstances are such that making a gift is a viable option? By making a gift or an advance legacy you can influence the subsequent inheritance partitioning while during your own lifetime, and may under certain circumstances jeopardise your own retirement provisioning. 

The estate experts at VZ will inform you about the advantages and disadvantages of making an advance legacy or gift. Speak to one of our independent consultants in good time: This will enable you to distribute your legacy in accordance with your wishes, preventing disputes between your descendants and optimising the tax burden for yourself as well as for your heirs.

Have you considered whether or not to appoint an executor for your last will and testament? Perhaps you don't know precisely what support you can expect from an executor? Particularly if your financial circumstances are complex, or if disagreements are likely to arise between your heirs, it is advisable to draw upon the services of an independent expert.

An executor at VZ will administer your estate in accordance with the provisions of your testament or inheritance agreement. Within the context of the execution of a will, VZ estate experts are available to support you as independent advisers and personal interlocutors. And they will support you at every stage – from the development of workable estate solutions to the dissolution of a community of heirs.

Do you want to dedicate a part of your assets to a good cause, tax-free? Irrespective of whether you set up a foundation during your lifetime or in your testament – this needs to be well thought-out and carefully prepared. As a potential founder, you should obtain the advice of an independent expert. And ensure that your financial planning is based on firm, long-term foundations, and that you make optimum use of all tax advantages.

In your capacity as a founder, you will be provided with comprehensive support by VZ: VZ foundation experts will draw up your financial and income planning, and will help you draw up the foundation articles and organisation concept; we will be able to support you in conjunction with clarifications and provisional assessments by public authorities, and will advise you on the administration of your foundation assets.

You are a businessman and are planning your succession? Do you want to know how much your company is worth? Do you know how to plan and organise the succession processes? And how to optimise the tax consequences of your corporate handover?

A corporate succession is a challenging task that throws up many questions, and is often initiated very late in the day. In order to safeguard the continued existence of your company and your personal retirement provisioning, you should talk to an expert at an early stage. At VZ you will receive an independent assessment of your situation. Our experts will advise you comprehensively, by taking account of all the financial aspects of your situation.