Legal Heirs

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Untangling the legal heirship certificate conundrum in Tamil Nadu

A legal heirship certificate is an essential document, sought by the legal heirs of a deceased individual for processing intestate succession related application in government offices. The process of applying for and obtaining a legal heirship certificate is by itself an arduous process and is riddled with a plethora of unresolved questions. The most significant of them is the issuance of legal heirship certificate to Class II legal heirs when there are no surviving Class I legal heirs.
Continue Reading Untangling the legal heirship certificate conundrum in Tamil Nadu

Can my mother who is not a coparcener be karta in HUF
Source: Livemint.com

The following article was first published in the Mint newspaper on 25th May, 2022. The same was written by our Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, who frequently publish their comments and opinions in the Mint. The online version of the article can be found here.

My father, who was the karta of our HUF (Hindu undivided family), with my mother, elder sister and I as members, died two years ago. Thereafter, the bank where the HUF account is held is insisting on transferring it only to my elder sister.

Under the circumstances, is there any possibility for my mother to become the karta of the HUF? What is the relevant legal section that needs to be quoted for necessitating a transfer to my mother’s name? Additionally, will there be a change in the PAN (permanent account number)  after transfer of the HUF? Will it also lead to a change in the name of the HUF? 

—Name withheld on request Continue Reading Can my mother who is not a coparcener be karta in HUF?

How legal heirs can find out investments of their deceased kin
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 20th April, 2022 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

I lost a friend a few days ago. I know that he had invested in stocks and mutual funds (MFs) but his family is unaware of this. What is the procedure by which his family can know about all the investments he had made prior to his death?

— Kartik SharmaContinue Reading How legal heirs can find out investments of their deceased kin

Intestate

The recent Supreme Court (“SC”) judgment in the case of Arunachala Gounder vs. Ponnuswamy[1] is a significant one since it focusses on whether a sole daughter could inherit her father’s self-acquired property dying intestate, prior to the enactment of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 (“Act”). It also delves into the order of succession after the death of the said daughter.

In this blog, we analyse the judgment and its impact on the property rights of Hindu women and widows under the Act.Continue Reading A daughter’s right: Inheritance and devolution of her father’s self-acquired property

Intestate
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 24th March, 2022 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

How will the property of a man who has died intestate and is survived by an elder brother having sons and a daughter, besides the sons of a predeceased elder sister,  be divided? Do the sons of the late sister have equal rights as those of the elder brother?

—Name withheld on request Continue Reading Who is the legal heir of a man dying intestate?

Ancestral Property
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 13th February, 2022 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

I have a query on Hindu Succession act: My mother has 6 brothers and 2 sisters, of which only 4 are alive including my mother. So Originally 9 children including my mother, Each of the brothers and sisters have children in the range of 2 to 9, I am aware that at this point my mother and the other 3 living siblings are righteous claimants on the ancestral property under Class-1.

Now my question is, – When my mother and the other siblings are no more, then how will the property be distributed?

My mother’s eldest brother has 9 children and her other siblings have an average of 2-3. So, if the total number of children all put together is 30, will it still be divided by 30 or will it be divided by 9 (i.e. my mother’s share and her 8 siblings)?

— A. ShankarContinue Reading How will maternal grandparents property be distributed under Indian law?

A will can help in ensuring smooth transition of assets
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 27th October, 2021 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

My question is regarding my share in a house built by my father. The said house was built in 1990 and registered in the name of my mother and my elder brother (I was a minor then). My father passed away in 2016 and all immovable assets were transferred in my mother’s name. My mother has always maintained that all her assets, movable and immovable, be shared equally between us brothers. She has not made any Will and I do not feel comfortable asking her to make one either. My question is that in the absence of any Will, what is my share in the said house? Since the house is registered jointly in the name of my brother and my mother, she legally owns half of the house. Will my share amount to half of her share, i.e 50% of 50% = 25% or will it be her complete share, i.e 50%?

—Name withheld on requestContinue Reading A will can help in ensuring smooth transition of assets

A Will is invalid in the absence of witnesses
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 29th September, 2021 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

Do married daughters have rights over their father’s self-acquired property if the father passed away in 1999, which is before the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005? Also, the daughters in this case were married before 1986, after they received proper settlements with land plots and were told that they would have no share in the remaining property of the father, earmarked for the sons. The father also wrote a Will stating that all his acquired property will go to his wife and sons alone. But due to his illness, he could not get it signed by two witnesses. Also due to change of residence and his death, only a photocopy of this Will was found. Can this Will be used in any way?

—Name withheld on requestContinue Reading A Will is invalid in the absence of witnesses

The rights of a legal heir supersede the rights of a nominee
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 07th July, 2021 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

My father and mother passed away after they came down with covid. My father had made a registered Will in 2015. According to that document, my nephew has been named the claimant of all his liquid assets. However, after 2015, my father declared me as his nominee in almost all his bank accounts. Under these circumstances, who is the rightful claimant of my father’s liquid assets, my nephew or myself?

—Name withheld on requestContinue Reading The rights of a legal heir supersede the rights of a nominee

Property transfer will take place under HSA in case there's no will
Source: Livemint.com

The Private Client team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas shares their comments and opinions in an article in the  following Q&A which was published by the Mint Newspaper on 9th June, 2021 and the online edition of the same can be found here.

My father passed away in 2016. He left behind a house where I stay with my wife, mother and younger brother, who is unmarried. My mother is willing to transfer the house to my brother and I as a gift. So, these are my questions. First, what is the process for getting the ownership changed to my brother and I? Second, what are the fees to be paid to the government, if any? Third, how much taxes are we supposed to pay? Fourth, is there a time limit to transfer the ownership? Fifth, how much will it cost in lawyer fees?

—Name withheld on request

Continue Reading Property transfer will take place under HSA in case there’s no will