Survivors are increasingly rejecting the inheritance – mostly out of fear of over-indebtedness. If, contrary to expectations, something is left over, they still receive the money. Bankruptcy officials feel they are being abused as cheap labor.
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–More people are dying in debt. But that’s by no means the only reason for the increase in estate bankruptcies.
Photo: Keystone / Urs Flüeler
When Urs B., a pensioner from a community in Hinterthurgau *, died in May 2020 at the age of 68, he had almost 20,000 francs outstanding: the majority of 8,000 francs went to the landlord. Another 5,000 were unpaid taxes. But unpaid bills from a hospital, Swisscom and health insurance also piled up.
B’s descendants decided to turn down the inheritance. If they hadn’t done that, they would have been obliged to pay any outstanding debts themselves. This is the most common reason for survivors to forego an estate. The case then remains with the state, which lets the private bankruptcy dispose of the deceased. This is reported in the Official Journal.
