Estate of the deceased (tereke)

The estate is the entirety of the deceased's patrimony passing to the heirs upon death. It comprises the assets, including immovables, movables, bank accounts and claims, together with the liabilities and charges, while rights strictly personal to the deceased do not pass.

The estate devolves automatically and as a whole: until division, the heirs hold it in community and are jointly and severally liable for its debts with their personal assets. This heavy liability is the rationale behind protective institutions such as renunciation, the official inventory and official liquidation.

To protect the interests involved, the peace court may order measures such as sealing, inventory and official administration of the estate. Determining its scope proceeds through inquiries at banks, the land registry and other institutions, and is the precondition of a sound division and accurate tax declarations.