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the best guarentee
for your estate

étude généalogique
Guénifey

The main vocation of the firm, a major player in heir finding since 2001, is to find and represent heirs in inheritance matters.

Since 1972, with surprising speed, we have seen the fabric of our civil society unravel: the strong links we once had are coming undone, and cracks are appearing. Suddenly, there were fewer and fewer marriages and more common-law unions, divorces, single-parent homes, children born out of wedlock, and single people. This has been an unprecedented change.
Evelyne SULLEROT, “Pour le meilleur et sans le pire” [For the Best and without the Worst], Fayard, 1984

1
passionate
employees
1
branches
around the world
1
international
department
1
years of
inheritance cases
1 %
secure
funds

what we do

Today, with many more divorces, blended families, increasing mobility, different surnames within the same family and increasing life expectancy, identifying heirs of a deceased person or the owners of property is not so easy.

However, the notary in charge of the estate is required to identify all heirs of the deceased. However, both human and material resources are often lacking when it comes to finding them. That is why genealogists are use to.

Our expertise

verify

Verify the order of succession and the absence of any compulsory heirs. This is important when there is a doubt regarding the number and identity of the heirs. The estate cannot be settled without all heirs being clearly identified.

investigate

Investigate all potential heirs of a deceased person and establish their respective qualities. This assignment is like the job of a detective, which is the most well-know aspect of our work. The Firm deploys all its material and human resources to trace them (see our case studies).

represent

Represent the heirs in the settlement of the estate to best protect their interests when liquidating assets and settling liabilities. This legal dimension is entrusted to highly-qualified advisers, who have a notary diploma.

our means

Experienced researchers

The researchers' mission is to establish with certainty the inheritance devolutions: they identify and locate the heirs. Often historians or archivists by training, they master all available archival sources and follow a strict methodology to guarantee the accuracy of the devolution.

inheritance settlement specialists

Our regional directors or managers are the agents of the identified heirs and faithfully represent them in the settlement of the succession. Jurists with notary degrees and specialists in the liquidation of estate assets, they ensure that the best interests of the heirs are preserved, in collaboration with the notary in charge of the estate, for whom they want to be available and available partners. reagents

dedicated services

In addition to a service dedicated to the management of life insurance contracts and the payment of heirs, an internal legal department made up of notaries and lawyers supports our teams in guarantee the security and responsiveness of our actions. We also have a real estate asset management service and a unclaimed account management service.

An international department carries out research in Europe and the Maghreb and oversees a group of international correspondents.

Guénifey, the succession hub

our clients

Different professions use our professional teams

Notaries

Notaries

To find heirs, legatees and beneficiaries via a mandate to search for heirs and verify the order of succession.

Bankers

Bankers

To search for heirs or beneficiaries of inactive bank accounts or safes.

Lawyers

Lawyers

To ascertain or verify the rights of their client or the opposing party.

Town Halls

Town Halls

To find the owners or heirs of property presumed to have no owner and to carry out preliminary investigations for the procedure to declare a vacant property.

Insurers

Insurers

To find the beneficiaries of dormant life insurance policies.

Co-ownership
Committees

Co-ownership
Committees

To find heirs of deceased co-owners or those who have not paid their co-ownership charges

private individuals

You can call on the expertise of the Guenifey Genealogical Study in the following cases:

#1

#1

To verify their inheritance rights.

#2

#2

To verify the ownership of property.

#3

#3

To find a member of their family.