Donations: what should you know before transferring assets to a family member?

This week, in the Família Por Direito column, partner Stéfanie Luz explains what you need to know before donating assets to a family member.”
Articles 10/03/2026

Donations can be an effective way to organise assets and anticipate wealth transfer. However, Portuguese law protects certain heirs — such as children and spouse — by reserving them a minimum share of the estate.

This means that some donations may later need to be taken into account when calculating the inheritance or even adjusted if they affect that protected share. Careful legal and tax planning is therefore key to preventing future disputes among heirs.

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The content of this information does not constitute any specific legal advice; the latter can only be given when faced with a specific case. Please contact us for any further clarification or information deemed necessary in what concerns the application of the law.

Practice Areas

  • Family and Inheritance

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