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Nalenta Blog
Clear explanations of the paperwork, taxes and decisions after a death in Belgium. Written by someone who did it himself, three times.
Filing the inheritance declaration with VLABEL: step by step
A full guide to filing your inheritance declaration in Flanders with the Flemish Tax Authority (VLABEL): online or on paper.
7 min read
Unblocking a bank account after a death
The bank automatically freezes accounts after a death. Here are the practical steps, documents and timelines to get things flowing again.
4 min read
Filing via the Belastingdienst portal
The Belastingdienst offers an online filing form for inheritance tax in Mijn Belastingdienst. Log in with DigiD, fill in the data and submit.
4 min read
Inheritance tax for the surviving spouse in Belgium
How is the surviving partner treated tax-wise in Belgium? Family home exemption, movable-asset bracket and usufruct.
4 min read
When heirs disagree
Disagreement between heirs is unfortunately common. Nalenta is not built for those situations: you need a notary, mediator or lawyer. Here are the routes.
4 min read
Inheritance with international elements
Did the deceased live in another country, or do you or the deceased hold assets abroad? You enter a world of international succession law and possible double taxation.
5 min read
Searching for a will in Belgium
A query in the Central Register of Wills tells you whether a will exists. Procedure, cost and types of wills.
4 min read
Inheriting debts in the Netherlands
If you accept an inheritance purely and the debts turn out to exceed the assets, you are personally liable. Choose well and you are protected, but you must know the pitfalls.
4 min read
Inheritance tax for other heirs
Heirs who are not partner, child, grandchild or parent fall in group 2: the highest brackets in Dutch inheritance tax. This surprises many people inheriting from an aunt or friend.
3 min read
Inheritance tax for grandchildren
A grandchild has the same exemption as a child but the rate is almost double. This sometimes surprises grandparents who want to leave something to grandchildren.
3 min read
Paying Belgian inheritance tax
Two months from the issue date: here is how to pay, with spread options and ways to limit fines.
4 min read
Centraal Testamentenregister: checking for a will
Did the deceased make a will? Check the Centraal Testamentenregister. The first request is free and takes a few business days.
3 min read
Do you need a notary for a simple estate in Belgium?
For many simple files a notary is not legally required. Here is when they are, when you can do it yourself, and price ranges.
8 min read
First week after a death
The days after a death bring many questions and you must decide quickly. This checklist helps you proceed calmly and in order.
8 min read
Heirs in disagreement in Belgium
Conflict over the partition? You can still file the tax declaration on time. Then notary, mediator or family court help reach a partition.
4 min read
Children and inheritance tax in Belgium
Children inherit in direct line with favourable rates. For minors: justice of the peace, notarial deed and guardianship account.
4 min read
Building a Dutch estate inventory
An estate inventory is an organised list of what the deceased owned and owed on the date of death. It is the basis for the inheritance tax filing and for distribution among heirs.
8 min read
Life insurance and inheritance tax
A life insurance with a beneficiary is often treated fiscally as a legacy. Here are the rates, exceptions and how to declare it correctly.
4 min read
Extension for the Dutch inheritance tax filing
Eight months is usually enough, but a complex estate, a dispute or foreign assets can require more time. Here is how to request more.
3 min read
Inheriting without a will in Belgium
No will? The law itself decides who inherits. Orders, degrees, spousal usufruct and representation, explained clearly.
7 min read
The family home in a Dutch estate
The family home is often the biggest single asset in an estate. The Belastingdienst uses the WOZ value, with special rules around the year of death.
4 min read
Inheriting debts in Belgium
When in doubt: accept under benefit or renounce. Here the three options, costs, consequences and how to protect your own assets.
4 min read
Gift tax or inheritance tax in the Netherlands
Gifts and inheritances are both taxed by the Belastingdienst, but under slightly different rules. A well-planned gift schedule can save thousands of euros in inheritance tax.
4 min read
Inheritance tax in Wallonia: rates, exemptions and calculation
Everything about Walloon inheritance tax in 2026: nine brackets in direct line, exemptions for the partner and dependent children, and the correct filing office.
7 min read
Life insurance and Dutch inheritance tax
A life insurance policy that pays out on death is a common asset. Civilly it sits outside the estate. Fiscally the story is different.
4 min read
Inheritance tax in Flanders: rates, exemptions and calculation
Everything you need to know about Flemish inheritance tax in 2026: rates by relationship, exemptions, gift suspect period and the correct filing channel.
8 min read
Inheritance tax in Brussels: rates, exemptions and calculation
Everything you need to know about Brussels inheritance tax in 2026: rates by relationship, exemptions and the correct FPS Finance office.
7 min read
Renouncing a Dutch inheritance
If you want to inherit nothing at all, for instance because debts likely exceed assets, you can renounce. Here are the steps and consequences for your children.
5 min read
Gifting vs inheriting in Belgium
Gifting during life is often cheaper than inheriting. Rates, suspect periods, usufruct and bank gifts, with a worked example.
4 min read
Beneficial acceptance: you inherit no more than is there
If you suspect the estate may have more debts than assets, or you simply do not know, beneficial acceptance lets you protect yourself from personal liability.
7 min read
Checklist for the first 7 days after a death
Day by day, what to arrange in the first week after a death in Belgium, with the right contacts and documents.
4 min read
How to unblock an ABN AMRO account
ABN AMRO has a specialised bereavement team in Amersfoort. One central point of contact for every step from reporting to payout.
4 min read
Inheritance declaration at the SPF Finances
For deaths in Brussels or Wallonia, the declaration goes to the FPS Finance. Which office, which form, which deadline, what differs from VLABEL.
4 min read
How to unblock a Rabobank account
Rabobank uses a Nazorgteam (aftercare team) for inheritances. The procedure runs partly through your local branch and partly centrally. Here are the practical steps.
4 min read
Family home exemption in Belgium
How does the family home inheritance tax exemption work per region? Conditions, limits and concrete examples for the surviving partner.
4 min read
How to unblock an ING account
Once ING records a death, the deceased's accounts are blocked. This is a safety measure. Here is how you regain control of the account.
4 min read
Inheriting in Belgium as an expat
An estate with foreign assets or expat heirs raises extra questions. Which law, which authority, which documents?
8 min read
When is a notary required for a Dutch inheritance?
Many people assume every inheritance automatically goes through a notary. That is not the case. For a straightforward estate, a notary is rarely legally required.
5 min read
Inheritance in Belgium without a notary
For a simple estate, you can file the Belgian inheritance declaration yourself. Here is when that is possible, how to do it and the mistakes to avoid.
9 min read
Certificate of inheritance (verklaring van erfrecht) in the Netherlands
Banks, insurers and pension funds usually request a verklaring van erfrecht before releasing the deceased's accounts. What is it, when do you really need it, and what does it cost?
8 min read
Cost of an inheritance declaration in Belgium
Filing the declaration can be free, 129 euros, or via notary for 1,000 to 3,000 euros. Here is the full picture and when each choice is right.
4 min read
Deadline to file the Belgian inheritance declaration
Four, five or six months? The deadline depends on where the deceased died. Everything about the legal deadline, extensions and fines.
4 min read
Children exemption Dutch inheritance tax
A child has a 25,000 EUR exemption on inheritance from a parent in 2026. Above that, the child pays 10 % or 20 % depending on the amount.
4 min read
Certificate or deed of inheritance in Belgium
Certificate or deed? We explain when each document is enough, how to request it, what it costs and how long it takes.
4 min read
Partner exemption in Dutch inheritance tax
The surviving partner receives the largest exemption in Dutch inheritance tax. In 2026 it is around 800,000 EUR. Conditions apply, and the exemption can be reduced by survivor's pension.
4 min read
What to do after a death in Belgium: full checklist
A chronological guide to the paperwork after a death in Belgium. By stage: what comes first, what can wait, and what you can delegate.
9 min read
Dutch inheritance tax rates 2026
How much inheritance tax you pay depends on two things: your relationship to the deceased, and how much you inherit after your exemption. This guide gives you the full table and walks through a calculation.
9 min read
Accept, refuse or accept under benefit of inventory in Belgium
You are not obliged to accept an estate. Here are the three options in Belgium side by side, with procedure and the typical cases.
8 min read
Dutch inheritance tax deadline: 8 months from the date of death
Eight months sounds like plenty, but in practice the deadline arrives quickly. What if you need more time, and what happens if you miss it?
5 min read
How to file Dutch inheritance tax yourself
If you have lost a parent, partner or other relative and you are an heir, you usually need to file an inheritance tax return with the Belastingdienst. For a simple estate this is something you can do without a notary. This guide walks through every step calmly.
12 min read