Meurthe-et-Moselle. Leaving a legacy to your town: instructions for making a posthumous donation

You can love your community during your lifetime and continue to support it after your death. Through a legacy, you can transfer all or part of your assets to a local authority through your will. This is a little-known but strictly regulated process.

In accordance with the General Code of Local Authorities (article L2242-1), a municipality may receive legacies, subject to a deliberation by the municipal council authorizing their acceptance, and a legality check carried out by the prefect.

The legacy must be formalized in a will, preferably drawn up with a notary, and will only take effect upon the death of the testator. To be valid, this legacy must comply with the rules of the statutory portion: a portion of the estate must be allocated to the direct heirs.

Avoid overly restrictive legacies

When accepted, the legacy must be used in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, who may make the gift conditional on a specific use (safeguarding of assets, creation of a...