A Brazilian Inheritance, Handled End to End — in English, From Wherever You Are
Losing someone is hard enough. Doing it across a border, in a language you don't speak, shouldn't fall on you too. We are licensed Brazilian lawyers, led by the first American to pass Brazil's Bar — a man who immigrated here himself and learned this system from the outside in. Sign a power of attorney and we carry the inventario for you; in most cases you never set foot in Brazil. Tell us your situation, and you'll leave knowing exactly what comes next.
Message us and we'll answer your questions about your situation and next steps — and set up a consultation if it's the right fit.
Or book a paid 60-min consultation — US$300A full private video session with a Brazil-licensed lawyer (OAB/SP 351.356). Choose a time that works for you.
- 1st American admitted to the OAB
- 700+ cases handled
- 15+ years
- OAB/SP 351.356
Tell Us Your Situation
- We respond within 24 hours
- English & Portuguese
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What Brazilian Probate (Inventario) Involves
In Brazil, the formal procedure to transfer a deceased person's assets to their heirs is called the inventario. When every heir agrees and no minors or incapacitated parties are involved, it can be done out of court at a notary office (inventario extrajudicial). Otherwise it goes through the courts (inventario judicial). Brazilian law also reserves a fixed share of the estate for certain heirs (legitima), which shapes how assets can be divided. None of this works the way inheritance does back home — and closing exactly that gap, for foreigners, is the whole of what we do.
You do not have to be in Brazil for any of it. Foreign heirs — heirs of Brazilian nationals, of foreign residents in Brazil, or of non-residents who simply owned assets here — complete the entire process from abroad through a power of attorney (procuracao), signed at a Brazilian consulate or apostilled in your own country. We tell you straight what, if anything, genuinely needs you in person, and we carry everything else on your behalf.
From there, we do the heavy lifting: gathering the documents (death, marriage and birth certificates, property records, bank and investment statements, vehicle titles), preparing and filing everything, calculating and paying the ITCMD state inheritance tax, representing you before the notary or court, and completing the property transfers and registry updates once the succession is formalized. You correspond with your lawyer directly, in English, and we explain every step before it happens — you are never in the dark about your own family's estate.
What We Handle, Start to Finish
Remote Representation
A power of attorney lets us stand in for you before Brazilian courts and notaries — so you stay home and grieve, instead of boarding a flight.
Document Collection
We track down what the estate needs — death and civil certificates, property records, bank and investment statements, vehicle titles — so you never chase Brazilian paperwork from another country.
Filing & Proceedings
We file and run the case — inventario extrajudicial at the notary, or inventario judicial in court when the law requires it — and keep you updated, in plain English, at every turn.
Asset Distribution
Once the succession is formalized, we complete the property transfers, bank account releases, and registry updates that put the assets squarely in the heirs' names.
Estimate the inheritance tax (ITCMD) before you start
Brazil's state inheritance tax (ITCMD) is one of the first real numbers heirs need. Our free calculator gives you a quick, ballpark figure by state — then we confirm the exact amount and exemptions for the estate.
How a Brazilian inventario works with us
A clear path from first call to the assets reaching the heirs' names. The exact steps depend on the estate — we confirm the current requirements with you before anything is filed.
- 1
Initial review
We talk through the estate, who the heirs are, and what assets sit in Brazil, then flag the likely path — extrajudicial or judicial — and tell you honestly whether we can help.
- 2
Power of attorney & documents
You sign a procuracao so we can act for you, and we give you a checklist tailored to the estate — helping gather, apostille, and arrange sworn translation of what is needed.
- 3
Filing the inventario
We prepare and open the inventario before the right Brazilian authority — the notary office or the court — and handle the paperwork remotely on your behalf.
- 4
Inheritance tax & proceedings
We calculate and arrange payment of the ITCMD state inheritance tax for the estate and respond to requests as the case moves. Timelines vary by state and case, so we keep you updated.
- 5
Transfers & follow-up
Once the succession is formalized, we complete the property transfers, bank releases, and registry updates that put the assets in the heirs' names — and stay available for what comes next.
Not sure where the estate fits?
Tell us about the assets and the heirs, and we'll walk you through the path that applies to your case.
What you'll need
Most estates draw on the same core documents. Think of this as a starting point — the exact list depends on the assets and the family, and we confirm the current requirements with you.
- The deceased's death certificate
- Civil documents of the heirs (e.g. birth or marriage certificates), apostilled where issued abroad
- A sworn (juramentada) translation of foreign documents
- Records of the Brazilian assets (e.g. property deeds, bank or investment statements, vehicle titles)
- A CPF (Brazilian tax ID) for each heir — we can help you obtain one
- A power of attorney (procuracao), so we can act for you remotely
Your case may need more or fewer documents. We give you a tailored checklist before you start gathering anything.
Where foreign heirs commonly get stuck
A few things trip people up more than others. Knowing them early makes the process smoother — here's what careful handling looks like.
Documents that aren't apostilled or sworn-translated
Foreign certificates often need an apostille and a sworn (juramentada) translation to be accepted by a Brazilian notary or court. Sorting the right format up front avoids back-and-forth later.
Assuming the estate can always skip court
An out-of-court inventario depends on the situation — when certain heirs or disagreements are involved, it can move through the courts instead. We confirm which path applies before filing.
Overlooking the ITCMD inheritance tax
The ITCMD state tax is part of formalizing the succession and varies by state. We calculate the applicable amount for the estate so it doesn't become a surprise mid-process.
Trying to coordinate heirs across countries alone
When heirs sit in different countries, gathering each power of attorney and document set in the right form takes sequencing. We organize it so nothing slips.
Useful terms
- Inventario
- The formal Brazilian procedure for transferring a deceased person's assets to their heirs.
- Inventario extrajudicial
- An out-of-court inventario handled at a notary office, available in certain situations where heirs agree.
- Inventario judicial
- An inventario carried out through the courts, used when the situation calls for judicial oversight.
- Procuracao
- A power of attorney — lets us act on your behalf, so much can be handled remotely.
- ITCMD
- Brazil's state-level tax on inheritances and gifts, applied as part of formalizing a succession.
- Legitima
- The portion of an estate that Brazilian law reserves for certain heirs (forced heirship).
- Certidao negativa
- An official certificate confirming there are no pending debts or records of a given type.
- Apostille
- An international certification that makes a document from one country valid in another.
- Tradução juramentada
- A sworn translation by an official translator, required for many foreign documents in Brazil.
Meet Your Legal Team
Zachariah Zagol
Founding Partner — OAB/SP
The first American to pass Brazil's Bar Exam. LL.M. from USC. Over 15 years helping foreigners navigate Brazilian law.
Karina Peres Silverio
Partner — OAB/SP 331.050
Specialist in immigration, real estate, and international law. Fluent in English and Portuguese.
"My father passed away in Brazil and I was overwhelmed — a different country, a different language, and no idea where to start. They handled the inventario remotely, explained each step in English, and never let me feel lost in it."— Foreign Heir | Probate & Inheritance
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I handle probate in Brazil from abroad?
How long does the probate process take in Brazil?
What happens when there are multiple heirs in different countries?
Are there inheritance taxes in Brazil?
Can I inherit real estate in Brazil as a foreigner?
Can the inventario go out of court, or does it have to go through a judge?
Do the estate documents need to be translated and apostilled?
What is the legitima, and how does it affect how the estate is divided?
Which languages do you work in?
Tell Us About the Estate
Send us a short description of your situation and the assets in Brazil. We'll ask a few questions, walk you through exactly how the inventario would work for you, and lay out your next step — directly with a licensed Brazilian lawyer, in English. When you're ready, we're here.