Can I leave my estate to whoever I want? What share do my children and my spouse get?
In short
Partly. If you have children, half of your estate is always reserved for them; you can leave the other half by will to whoever you want. Your spouse also has rights protected by law.
Video transcript
You want to leave your whole estate to one person by will. But you also have children. It depends: If you have children, half of the estate is always reserved for them. The other half you can leave by will to anyone you like. The right way: Make your will with a notary's advice. Your spouse also has a legally protected share. For a house or land abroad, a separate procedure may be needed there. Consequences: Penalty: None; Will beyond the share: Reduced; Inheritance tax: Depends on the region.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Since 1 September 2018, the children's reserved share (reserve / réserve) has been half of the estate, regardless of the number of children. The children share this half equally.
- You can leave the other half by will (testament) to whoever you want. Children from a previous marriage, children born outside marriage and adopted children all have the same rights.
- If there is no will and you have children, your spouse receives the usufruct, i.e. the right to use (vruchtgebruik / usufruit), of the whole estate, and the children receive the bare ownership. Your spouse also has a reserved share, which as a rule cannot be taken away by will.
- If you live in Belgium, Belgian law usually applies to your estate under the EU Succession Regulation (650/2012). In your will, you can choose the law of your country of nationality instead.
- Inheritance tax depends on the region: erfbelasting in Flanders, successierechten / droits de succession in Brussels and Wallonia. Which region's rules apply depends on where the deceased lived longest in the last 5 years.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- No penalty. After the death, a gift or bequest that exceeds the reserved share is only reduced if an heir entitled to that share requests it (inkorting / réduction). The reduction is usually settled in money.
Legal basis:BW Boek 4, art. 4.150, 4.151
- Court / prison
- No prison sentence.
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- If the inheritance tax return (aangifte van nalatenschap / déclaration de succession) is filed late, the tax authorities apply a surcharge
Legal basis:notaris.be – Brochure Erven 2026
- Some countries always apply their own law to houses and land on their territory; a separate procedure may be needed there
Legal basis:5718 s. MÖHUK, md. 20/1
- Tax rates and exemptions depend on the region and on the degree of kinship; ask a notary about the amount
Legal basis:Bijzondere financieringswet 16.1.1989, art. 3, 4°, 4 §1
Why does this rule exist?
The rule protects children and the spouse from being completely cut out of the estate. At the same time, it lets people decide freely what happens to half of their property.
Where can you go?
- Violence helplineFlanders 1712 (weekdays 09–18) · Wallonia and Brussels 0800 30 030 (partner violence), 103 (child abuse) · Emergency 112
- Child and family servicesFlanders: Kind en Gezin / Opgroeien · Wallonia and Brussels: ONE
- School guidance centreThe school's CLB / centre PMS
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 14 / 14 statements in an official source
- Checked: 22.10.2026
- Last checked
- 22.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 14 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
1/9/2018'den beri çocukların toplam saklı payı çocuk sayısından bağımsız olarak mirasın yarısı
Notaris.be (Fednot) brochure 'Erven' 2026, p. 9-11 - Found in an official source
Çocuklar eşit pay alır
Notaris.be brochure 'Erven' 2026 - Found in an official source
Diğer yarı serbestçe bağışlanabilir/vasiyet edilebilir
Notaris.be brochure 'Erven' 2026, p. 11 - Found in an official source
Tüm çocuklar (önceki evlilik, evlilik dışı, evlat edinilmiş) eşit haklı
Notaris.be brochure 'Erven' 2026 - Found in an official source
Vasiyetsiz, çocuklu durumda eş tüm mirasın intifasını, çocuklar çıplak mülkiyeti alır
Notaris.be brochure 'Erven' 2026 - Found in an official source
Eşin korunan payı var (en az aile evi ve eşyaları üzerinde intifa)
Notaris.be brochure 'Erven' 2026, p. 12 - Found in an official source
Mirasa ölüm anındaki mutad mesken ülkesinin hukuku uygulanır
Verordening (EU) 650/2012 art. 21(1) - Found in an official source
Vatandaşlık hukuku vasiyetle seçilebilir; AB dışı devlet hukuku da olabilir (md. 20)
Verordening (EU) 650/2012 art. 22(1)-(2) ve art. 20 - Found in an official source
Bölge, ölenin son 5 yılda en uzun yaşadığı yere göre belirlenir; üç bölgede farklı kurallar
Notaris.be brochure 'Erven' 2026, p. 17 - Corrected according to the source
Korunan payı aşan bağış/vasiyet indirilir (inkorting)
BW Boek 4, art. 4.150, 4.151 - Found in an official source
Geç beyanda vergi artırımı
notaris.be – Brochure Erven 2026 - Found in an official source
Bazı ülkeler kendi topraklarındaki taşınmazlara her zaman kendi hukukunu uygular
5718 s. MÖHUK, md. 20/1 - Found in an official source
Veraset vergisinin oranı, matrahı ve muafiyetleri bölgelerce belirlenir
Bijzondere financieringswet 16.1.1989, art. 3, 4°, 4 §1 - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): 'Tamamen çıkarılamaz' mutlak bir ifade. Kaynak yalnızca eşe en az aile evi ve eşyalar üzerinde intifa hakkı ayrıldığını söylüyor. Bildiğim kadarıyla kanunda istisnalar var: eşler 6 aydan uzun süredir ayrı yaşıyorsa ve boşanma davası açılmış
Kaynak alıntısıyla karşılaştırma (abartı taraması)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?