The head of the household is designated as the “legal representative of the estate,” according to the Tax and Customs Authority (AT), which further explains that this individual carries the “responsibility of managing the estate until the division of the assets.” So, how is the head of the household chosen?
In a Facebook post, the AT outlines that the selection of the head of the household follows this order:
- Surviving spouse, not legally separated in terms of persons and property, if they are an heir or have a share in the couple’s assets;
- Executor unless otherwise specified by the testator;
- Relatives who are legal heirs (with preference given to those closest in degree);
- Testamentary heirs;
- Among legal heirs of the same degree of kinship or among testamentary heirs, preference is given to those who lived with the deceased for more than one year;
- In equal circumstances, the eldest heir.
What is the significance of the head of the household?
According to the tax authority, “the head of the household is responsible for informing the tax office of the death and listing the assets within three months after the death.”
“For this purpose, they must complete Model 1 of the Stamp Duty and list the assets left, accompanied by their value,” the statement continues.
