Making a will

Statistics show that people do not like making Wills. It is understandable that people do not like to consider death, but it is irrational not to consider what should happen to your assets should you die, and make sure that your accumulated wealth is distributed in accordance with your wishes.

You can incorporate your Tenerife assets into your English Will but having the Will proved can take a very long time and cause untold problems and heartaches to your heirs. Writing a Spanish Last Testament is just as straightforward as making an English Will and it is not all that time consuming or expensive.

The most suitable Spanish Will for the majority of people is known as the “Testamento Abierto” or “Open Will”. You should first see a Spanish lawyer who will advise you how the Will should be expressed to best carry out your true intentions with regard to all your property and possessions in Spain.

The Notary will then prepare the Will on the instructions of the lawyer, and it is then signed by you in the presence of the Notary and three witnesses who will also sign. The Notary will then register the Will in the central Registry of Wills and give you an authorised copy showing the official number under which the original Will is filed. This is a good system and eliminates the dangers of a Will being lost or overlooked. Making a Will is simple, but the laws about it are not, and that is why we recommend that you should consult a lawyer.