Leaving trouble behind?

How the last will and testament can even save lives

Correct wills are also helping more and more charitable causes, emphasize Dirnegger, Gabrle and Aichelburg (from left)(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Vergissmeinnicht, stock.adobe.com)

Even dying needs to be well prepared. The trend in wills is towards charitable donations. By making a clear will in accordance with legal requirements - Lower Austrians are third last in the federal state rankings when it comes to making a will - unnecessary disputes among descendants are often avoided in the first place.

Only 28 percent of Lower Austrians over the age of 40 have made provisions in their will - putting them in third-last place in a comparison of federal states. Only 18 percent are aware of the formal requirements for a free will.

Accordingly, there are numerous cases in which the last wishes of deceased persons cannot be fulfilled because the content of the will is either incorrect or contradicts legal regulations, says St. Pölten notary Leopold Dirnegger. Inheritance disputes are often the result of an unclear estate.

Free initial consultation with a notary
Markus Aichelburg, head of Vergissmeinnicht, emphasizes that it is possible to have a free initial consultation with a notary. This initiative is committed to "good wills". There is a trend towards charitable donations: Every tenth euro donated already comes from a last will and testament. In Austria, this option is considered in one to two percent of wills - compared to seven percent in the UK.