Who Inherits Without a Will in Bulgaria? Intestate Succession Explained

Wills, Probate and Inheritance

What Intestate Succession in Bulgaria Means

Intestate succession, governed in Bulgaria by the Inheritance Act, applies whenever a person dies without a valid will covering the whole of their estate, and it often produces an outcome quite different from what the family assumes or would have wanted.

An estate can be treated as intestate not only where no will exists, but also where a will is invalid, covers only part of the estate, or where a named beneficiary predeceases the testator or renounces the inheritance.

Determining the Applicable Law

For estates connected to more than one country, the applicable succession law depends on the deceased’s habitual residence, nationality and any valid choice of law under the EU Succession Regulation, or, for non-EU estates, the relevant domestic conflict-of-laws rules.

First Order of Heirs: Descendants

Children of the deceased, including adopted children, inherit first. Where a child has predeceased the parent, that child’s own children generally inherit their parent’s share by representation.

Children from different relationships inherit equally under Bulgarian law, which can create unequal family expectations that are worth addressing through a will rather than leaving to intestacy.

Rights of the Surviving Spouse

A surviving spouse inherits alongside the deceased’s children, or, if there are none, alongside the deceased’s parents or siblings. The precise share depends on which category of relative the spouse inherits alongside.

Separation without a completed divorce does not remove spousal inheritance rights, and pending divorce proceedings at the date of death require careful review of the exact procedural stage reached.

Parents, Siblings and More Distant Relatives

Where there are no descendants, the deceased’s parents inherit. In their absence, siblings and their descendants inherit by representation, followed by more distant relatives under the statutory order of succession where no closer heirs exist.

Do Unmarried Partners and Stepchildren Inherit Without a Will?

Unmarried partners, however long the relationship, and stepchildren without formal adoption, have no automatic inheritance rights under Bulgarian intestacy rules. The same applies to former spouses, friends and long-term carers.

For these relationships, a will is the only reliable way to provide for the people concerned, since intestacy will otherwise pass the estate to blood relatives regardless of personal closeness.

Calculating Each Heir’s Share and Asset-Specific Issues

Shares are calculated according to the applicable order of succession, adjusted for predeceased heirs, half-siblings, and representation. Where a will disposes of only part of the estate, the remainder is distributed under the intestacy rules alongside any testamentary gifts.

Different asset types raise their own practical issues: jointly owned property, assets located abroad, company shares and vehicles each require specific registration or transfer steps once the heirs are identified.

Acceptance, Renunciation and Practical Next Steps

Intestate heirs may accept the inheritance, accept it under inventory to limit liability for estate debts, or renounce it, each with consequences for the shares of the remaining heirs.

Practical steps typically include obtaining a death certificate, a certificate of heirs, searching for any will that may exist, identifying assets and debts, and registering inherited property.

The process of transferring assets once the heirs are confirmed is explained in our guide to probate in Bulgaria.

Common Intestacy Disputes

Recurring sources of dispute include disputed parentage, allegations of a hidden or later will, omitted heirs, unauthorised use of estate property before formal partition, and disagreement over the valuation of estate assets.

How NBLO Can Assist When There Is No Will

Our wills and inheritance planning team advises intestate heirs on identifying the correct order of succession, obtaining certificates of heirs, and resolving disputes between co-heirs, and helps clients avoid intestacy altogether through timely will planning. Intestate heirs should also be aware that Reserved Portions under Bulgarian Inheritance Law can affect the position even where a will does exist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my unmarried partner inherit automatically if I die without a will in Bulgaria? No. Unmarried partners have no automatic inheritance rights under Bulgarian intestacy rules, regardless of how long the relationship lasted. A will is required to provide for a partner in this situation.

How is an estate divided between a spouse and children under intestacy? The surviving spouse inherits alongside the deceased’s children, with the exact proportions depending on the number of children. The spouse does not receive the whole estate automatically.

What happens if a will only covers some of the deceased’s assets? The assets covered by the will pass as it directs, while the remaining assets are distributed under the intestacy rules, which can produce a combined outcome different from what any single document suggests on its own.

Can a stepchild inherit without a will? Only if formally adopted. Without adoption, a stepchild has no automatic inheritance rights under Bulgarian intestacy rules, however close the relationship.