Greece changes inheritance law: What happens to debts, wills and compulsory shares from today

Major changes to Greece’s inheritance rules came into effect on September 16, 2026, changing how inherited debts, wills and compulsory inheritance rights are handled.

The reforms follow around 18 months of preparation and consultation and introduce significant changes for heirs and families, including new rules designed to protect heirs’ personal assets from the debts of a deceased person.

Heirs’ personal property protected from inherited debts

One of the most significant changes concerns debts attached to an inheritance.

Under the new framework, an heir is generally not personally liable for the deceased’s debts with their own assets.

Instead, liability is limited to the assets included in the inheritance, subject to specific exceptions under the law.

The change addresses a long standing concern for people who could previously find themselves facing debts owed to banks, the state or other creditors after accepting an inheritance.

Antonis Karabatzos, Professor at the School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explained the change in comments to ERTnews.

He said the new rules mean an heir will generally be liable for inheritance debts only through the inherited estate rather than their personal property.

New inheritance agreements introduced

The reform also introduces inheritance agreements into Greek law.

These agreements allow a person to make arrangements concerning succession while they are still alive, including agreements establishing heirs and setting out additional provisions.

The new framework could have particular relevance for families with children from different marriages or previous family relationships.

It may also be used to organise the transfer of family businesses and assets to the next generation.

Families can now make succession arrangements that take into account the different circumstances and choices of their children.

Changes to compulsory inheritance shares

Another major change concerns the compulsory share, known in Greek law as the nomimi moira.

Under the previous system, eligible heirs had a compulsory share in the deceased’s property.

The reform changes the nature of this entitlement.

According to Professor Karabatzos, the compulsory share is being transformed from a direct property participation into a monetary claim.

This means the legal right is no longer structured in the same way as a direct share in individual movable or immovable assets.

Who is affected by the new rules?

The new provisions apply to inheritance relationships arising from deaths occurring on or after September 16, 2026.

The changes could therefore affect families dealing with estates, inherited debts, wills and succession planning from that date onward.

The reforms are particularly relevant for people with significant family assets, business interests, children from different relationships or concerns about inherited liabilities.

Anyone dealing with an actual estate should seek advice from a qualified Greek lawyer or notary, as individual circumstances and exceptions can affect how the new rules apply.

Source: ERTnews

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