{"id":370465,"date":"2026-01-20T14:34:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T13:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erbfinanz.de\/?p=370465"},"modified":"2026-10-14T16:10:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T14:10:54","slug":"compulsory-portion-for-grandchildren-when-you-are-entitled-to-it-and-how-to-enforce-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erbfinanz.de\/en\/ratgeber\/pflichtteil-fuer-enkel-wann-sie-anspruch-haben-und-wie-sie-ihn-durchsetzen\/","title":{"rendered":"When grandchildren are entitled to a compulsory share"},"content":{"rendered":"

The grandmother has died; the will names the aunt as sole heir; and the grandson\u2019s own father, who was his link to her, has been dead for years. At times like these, two questions spring to mind for a grandchild. Am I entitled to any share of the estate at all, and if so, how can I get hold of this money without getting caught up in a dispute that could drag on for years?<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The answer almost always hinges on a single factor. As descendants \u2013 that is, direct descendants \u2013 grandchildren are, by law, included in the small group of people who may be entitled to a compulsory share. However, they only come into their rights if their own parent has been excluded from the line of succession, usually due to that parent\u2019s prior death. If this has happened and the will excludes the grandchildren, a financial claim arises against the heirs amounting to half the statutory share of the inheritance, which can reach considerable sums in the case of larger estates.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This article explains when grandchildren are entitled to a compulsory share, how the amount of the claim is calculated, why gifted property is often taken into account, and how this entitlement is enforced against the heirs in practice.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n