Assets: Passing on a portfolio - how to make it easy for your children

Leaving wealth to children through a securities depot requires careful planning. At the time of transfer, it is crucial to minimize taxes and ensure that the heirs can quickly access the depot. To achieve this, several preparations are necessary, including granting powers of attorney, making early gifts, and transferring the depot to a single person rather than a group. Two tax advisors and a wealth manager explain how this works in detail.

Vermögensverwalter Benjamin Hofmann, a partner at Habbel, Pohlig & Partner, emphasizes the importance of a bank-specific power of attorney. This allows the authorized person to act immediately after the death, often without further checks from the bank. While this is beneficial in the event of death, it can also be useful if the power of attorney holder is absent for an extended period. However, it is essential to consider the potential influence and responsibilities that come with granting such powers.

Moreover, leaving the wealth in an inheritance community can lead to disputes and block decisions. In this case, a testator’s testamentary executor might not be able to act swiftly on the market trends, and the process of distributing the estate could be prolonged. An alternative solution is to use a so-called pre-emptive right, allowing an heir to receive the entire depot in addition to their inheritance share, thereby ensuring individual control over the assets.