Inheritance: the children’s share
Can a parent disinherit their children?
What the law says
- Gifts and the will together may not exceed half of the estate if the deceased leaves one child (Art. 913).
- A third if they leave two children (Art. 913).
- A quarter if they leave three or more (Art. 913).
- The rest is reserved for the children; special rules apply to the spouse (Art. 767-1 and 1094, referred to in Art. 913).
Watch out for
- Gifts made during the parent’s lifetime count in this calculation too (Art. 913).
Who can help
Official source : Code civil (version du 26.12.2025) · Checked on 21.10.2026