Banking policy in Puerto Rico establishes that all the decedent’s bank accounts are to be frozen as soon as the bank is notified of the passing.  This means that regardless of the account being single, or co-joined, all deposited money is automatically frozen until the bank receives a copy of the Puerto Rico Estate Tax Release granted by the Department of Hacienda.

This creates a huge problem for the surviving spouse, because all bank accounts in Puerto Rico where the decedent is a signor are frozen until further notice.  This is further aggravated by the fact that the Puerto Rico Tax Estate Tax Release usually takes several months to be granted.  Oftentimes, the surviving spouse is left without any money to cover for funeral arrangements, or medical expenses incurred by the decedent.

There are a few ways to mitigate the damage that this limitation may impose on the surviving spouse.

Here are five tips to help you plan ahead:

1.  Have enough cash around to cover living expenses for at least three (3) months.

While having cash lying around the house may be a nuisance at best, and a security risk at worst, given the propensity of bank accounts in Puerto Rico being frozen immediately after one spouse’s passing, it’s always a good idea to have enough cash on hand to cover for the first few months after passing.  This will serve as a sure-fire “buffer” guarantee to be able to gather information regarding the estate division ahead, and serves as a safety net for the grieving surviving spouse.  The higher the monthly cost of living, the more cash one has to store at home, or at a trusted location.   A small home vault, which can be found at very reasonable prices, can be fixed to a concrete wall, and its combination set and shared with a trusted party, is usually the best bet when storing cash at home. It is always advisable to conceal these vaults, and entrust its location with a confidant with specific written instructions and its combination.  Bank safety deposit boxes are not a safe location, because as with bank accounts, banks in Puerto Rico can freeze them, and prevent the surviving spouse from opening them until the PR Estate Tax Release is granted.

2.  Have separate bank accounts with enough funds to cover living expenses for one (1) year.

Any conscientious investment portfolio must always include a portion of cash assets to cover for unforeseen expenses, while leaving long term investments accrue.  It is always wise to have enough funds to cover anything from 8 to 11 months of living expenses.  In the case of a newly deceased spouse, it is essential that the same amount be kept in two separate accounts, since co-joined accounts will be frozen.  This way, the surviving spouse will be able to cover for any living expenses while the estate division is carried out, and the PR Estate Tax Form is filed, and subsequently, its release has been granted, thus enabling the spouse and heirs to withdraw from the accounts.

3.  Set aside funds to cover legal fees.

Some estate divisions are more complex than others.  If your proposed estate division is complex, it is a good idea to also include a portion of the saved funds to cover for the legal fees, or at least a retainer, that will be required by the attorney handling the estate division.  This retainer can also be negotiated and agreed upon before any untimely passing, and many attorneys can accommodate pre-paid terms on a future estate division.  Consulting legal counsel before a spouse passes away paves the road for a smooth estate division and asset transition.

4.  Have a Life Insurance Policy naming the surviving spouse as beneficiary.

Life insurance policies are not subject to most estate division laws in Puerto Rico.  They are unaffected by forced heirship, and do not require a PR Estate Tax Release.  They can be disbursed at the time of passing without further documentation or legal proceedings, other than those required by the insurance company.  Always check with the insurer, and review the terms of the policy in order to determine the specific requirements, which are oftentimes much less stringent than any other legal proceeding pertaining estate divisions in Puerto Rico.

5.  Keep a file with copies of all the important documents regarding properties.

The single most time consuming task of any estate division, contrary to the public’s general belief that it is quibbling heirs, is searching and gathering all the estate properties.  While estate divisions can be done in portions, it is much easier and cheaper to divide the complete estate in large portions, or all at once.  Since finding properties in Puerto Rico is a labor intensive, costly and time consuming task, having a file with all the properties substantially lowers the footwork required to gather an estate inventory.

While these tips are not a guarantee that the estate division will go smoothly, they will help substantially during the transitioning period right after the decedent’s passing.  Further estate planning is always advisable, but a little foresight will go a long way, and prevent unforeseen economic quagmires during the beginning of the estate division process.

Pulse este enlace para ver el vídeo.

¡Vítores a mis compueblanos cibernéticos del Tribunal Supremo!

He aquí el video:

Primer Encuentro Nacional de Blogueros en Puerto Rico.

Este evento se celebrará el día miércoles, 6 de mayo de 2009 a las 9:00AM en el Centro de Empresas Emergentes en Ciencias y Tecnología, en la Urbanización Valle Tolima en Caguas.

Pulse aquí para ver el mapa.

La actividad es gratuita, y contará con varios conferenciantes y actividades.

Pulse aquí para descargar el itinerario en formato PDF.

Necesitará Adobe Acrobat para ver el archivo PDF. Puede descargar Acrobat pulsando aqui: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Para más información, visite: http://wikipr.org/blogs/2009/

¡Cuenten conmigo! Como parte de la blogosfera puertorriqueña, BoricuaLaw dirá “presente”.

The decision to initiate an estate claim in Puerto Rico is directly dependent on whether or not there IS something to claim. It makes very little sense economically to initiate legal proceedings without first establishing what is to be claimed, how much it is worth, and how much it’ll cost to get it.

From a sentimental standpoint, many heirs wish to begin an estate claim regardless of the fair market value of the house where they grew up, or their parent’s last home. Other times, the decision to proceed legally, and the costs and legal fees associated may far outweigh the final value of the investment.

In any case, it’s always a good idea to start by investigating what assets were left behind, and how much they’re worth.

Here are a few pointers on where to begin:

Real Estate

Finding real estate properties in Puerto Rico is a daunting task. Outdated tax records, few if any online access to public records, and disorganized non-computerized filing systems make for a tedious and costly search of real estate properties.

There are ways to work around this.

Tip #1:

The first is the Puerto Rico Property Registry, or “Registro de la Propiedad”. The inclusion of real estate properties within the registry is voluntary in Puerto Rico. Registrants acquire certain legal rights or benefits if they do register their properties, but it is not compulsory, so this system is plagued with outdated records, mistakes in entries, and absolutely no way of gathering information aside from physically visiting the regional offices and searching.

There is something good to all this: apartments.

Apartments, and apartment buildings MUST be registered in the Puerto Rico Property Registry, so if the deceased family member owned an apartment, you will surely find it here.

Here’s a quick tip:  Hire the services of a Title Investigator to search the Index and find if the decedent left any real estate properties. These professionals are much more adept at searching for properties, and title studies are not expensive.  Most range about the $50 to $100 range, depending on the complexity of the study.

You will receive a list of all the properties registered under that person’s name, just as long as they are contained within the registry.

Click here for the Puerto Rico Property Registry’s addresses.

Tip #2:

The CRIM. The Center for the Collection of Municipal Taxes, or CRIM, for it’s name in Spanish (pronounced “cream“) is the government agency in charge of organizing real estate property information for property tax purposes in Puerto Rico.

If anyone needs to know who owns what, where, and how much it costs, it’s this agency. Every real estate property built, sold, segregated or existing in Puerto Rico receives it’s own lot number, called a “Catastro”. It’s a numerical denominator, much like a real estate property’s Social Security number that is used to identify it, and gather it’s taxable value.

Here’s a another quick tip:

You can search all the properties under a person’s Social Security number, and it makes for a quick cross search of what the decedent owned at the time of death.

While heirs are liable for paying property taxes before selling any real estate in Puerto Rico, there are exceptions to reduce the overall debt associated with these properties, so you needn’t worry that just by asking the government will initiate collection on past due property taxes. Now, if the decedent owned property taxes, the CRIM will require that these be paid before any new transaction is made.

You can write a letter requesting a Certification of Debt, and a listing of all the properties under the decedent’s name. You’ll need this for the PR Estate Tax form, so you might as well apply for it anyway.

Click here for a map of each municipality’s CRIM address.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much public record information online, as government agencies in Puerto Rico have yet to establish a serious online presence. As you may know from my previous posts, most of waht is available online is a downloadable form to print and mail in with a Money Order, and wait for a reply through regular mail.

There aren’t any dedicated heir or estate asset locating services in Puerto Rico, at least none that I am aware of. Personally, I have been hired to search for properties, and to provide advice on the reasonability of pursuing estate properties in Puerto Rico. Like all legal matters, it’s sometimes worth it, sometimes not. It depends on what your priorities are at the time to decide to claim an inheritance.

Pulse encima de cada título para leer el artículo:

Pasos para Divorciarse en Puerto Rico: Introducción

Pasos para Divorciarse en PR: Paso #13 – Pórtese bien

Luego de transcurridos varios años de inactividad, o de finalizar un caso, los expedientes se almacenan en el Archivo Central de la Oficina de Administración de los Tribunales en la Ave. Barbosa 427 en Hato Rey.

Si el caso está activo aún en el Tribunal:

Para obtener copia de cualquier documento judicial de un caso activo, es necesario descargar e imprimir el formulario OAT-85, y enviarlo por correo.  Pulse aquí para descargar el archivo en formato PDF.

Luego de imprimir el formulario, y llenar los encasillados correspondientes, se envía por correo al Tribunal en dónde se está atendiendo el caso.  Para una lista de las direcciones postales, pulse aquí.  Luego, baje hasta ver el mapa, y pulse encima de la Región Judicial correspondiente.

A vuelta de correo, recibirá una notificación de la cantidad de Sellos de Rentas Internas necesarios para expedir una copia sencilla o certificada del documento solicitado.  Devuelva un giro postal a nombre del Secretario de Hacienda por la cantidad indicada, y recibirá el documento por correo.

Si el caso está inactivo:

El procedimiento es idéntico, excepto que en lugar de enviar el forumario a la Secretaría del Tribunal, se envía a la siguiente dirección:

Oficina de Administración de los Tribunales
Programa de Administración de Documentos
PO BOX 190917
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00919-0917

o vía fax al: 787-763-7834

Recuerde, que en los casos de Familia, tales como Divorcios, Custodia, Alimentos o en donde existen menores como parte, son de naturaleza confidencial.  Por lo tanto, quienes único están autorizados para solicitar copia de documentos, o examinar expedientes son las partes del caso, o sus representantes legales.  Una parte interesada del caso puede autorizar a otra persona a solicitar copia mediante affidavit o poder.

Como requisito de la solicitud, tendrá que proveer copia de una identificación con foto, y cualquier otro documento suplementario que el personal le exija al momento de hacer la solicitud.

Según la Oficina de Administración de Tribuanles, las instrucciones para hacerlo se encuentran pulsanso en el siguiente enlace:

Pulse aquí.

Las instrucciones son:

Los expedientes judiciales contienen todos los documentos que se presentan en los casos que se atienden en los tribunales, incluyendo las órdenes, las resoluciones y las sentencias emitidas. Éstos son expedientes públicos y se guardan por cierto tiempo en las Secretarías de los Tribunales y luego pasan al Archivo Central de la Oficina de Administración de los Tribunales en la Ave. Barbosa 427 en Hato Rey. Si usted desea una copia de cualquiera de esos documentos, ¿qué debe hacer?

1. Identificación del caso

El solicitante debe asegurarse de disponer de la información adecuada para identificar el caso particular, entre ella:

• Nombre de las partes
• Año del caso
• Número de presentación del caso
• Naturaleza del caso
• Tribunal que atendió el caso

2. Expedientes confidenciales

Existen algunos expedientes que son de naturaleza confidencial. En ese caso existen restricciones y requisitos especiales para poder examinar un documento que se le comunicarán al solicitante.

3. Solicitud de Copias de Documentos

El solicitante debe acudir primeramente a la Secretaría del Tribunal que atendió el caso para determinar si el expediente del caso se encuentra allí o si se encuentra en el Archivo Central en Hato Rey. En el tribunal la persona llena un formulario titulado Solicitud de Copia de Documentos, en el que se le pide su nombre y dirección y toda la información necesaria para tramitar su solicitud. El apartado número 4 de esa solicitud le pide información sobre el servicio que solicita, a saber:

• Copia certificada
• Copia simple
• Examinar el expediente (Véase la sección Examen de Expedientes Judiciales)
• Otro

  Si el expediente del caso no se encuentra en el Tribunal, se le ofrece la opción de tramitar copia digitalizada del documento al Archivo Central. Si el solicitante no le interesa esta opción se le devuelve el formulario para que lo envíe, o lo entregue personalmente, a la siguiente dirección.

Postal:

Oficina de Administración de los Tribunales
Programa de Administración de Documentos
PO BOX 190917
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00919-0917

Física:

Avenida Barbosa 427 (bajos de John Dewey College)
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
TEL:. 787-274-0016
FAX: 787-763-7834

4. Solicitud de copias de documentos a través de correo electrónico

Este servicio provee para que el ciudadano pueda solicitar los documentos en el tribunal más cercano a su residencia, independientemente de donde se haya presentado el caso. El tribunal solicita el documento al Archivo Central quienes localizan el documento en el expediente, lo digitalizan y lo envían al tribunal a través del correo electrónico para que sea certificado y entregado al peticionario.

5. Expediente que no se encuentra

Si el expediente no fuere hallado, se le notificará de ello, por escrito, al solicitante.

6. Costo de las copias

Documento civil: Cincuenta centavos (.50¢) por página simple.

Documento criminal: Un dólar ($1.00) por las primeras cuatro (4) páginas y veinticinco centavos (.25¢) por cada página adicional.

Certificación: La certificación civil cuesta un dólar ($1.00)
La certificación criminal cuesta cincuenta centavos (.50¢).

Dichos aranceles se deben pagar en sellos de Rentas Internas. Obviamente, el total que deberá pagarse sólo puede saberse una vez se ha revisado el expediente y se ha determinado cuantas páginas tiene el documento que se interesa.

Si el formulario se envió por correo, la Secretaría o el Archivo Central le notifican, también por correo y mediante el mismo formulario, identificado con el número de solicitud, los aranceles que la persona tiene que cancelar. La persona puede entregar personalmente o enviar por correo los sellos correspondientes a los aranceles, asegurándose de que quede claro el número de referencia de la solicitud. En estos casos siempre es conveniente enviar una comuniación aneja donde se identifique cada sello con su número de serie y que el solicitante se quede con copia de ella.

Si el formulario se entrega personalmente, ya que la búsqueda del expediente no se puede realizar de inmediato, se le pide al solicitante que dé un número de teléfono al cual se le pueda llamar, con cargos revertidos, para indicarle los aranceles que debe cancelar. Se le da también el número de la solicitud para que haga referencia a ella en cualquier comunicación posterior. Si no tiene teléfono, se le envía por correo el formulario con indicación de los aranceles, y la persona debe enviar los sellos por correo o entregarlos personalmente, según se describió antes.

7. Envío de documentos

Una vez recibidos los sellos necesarios para cubrir los aranceles, se procede a realizar las copias y las certificaciones solicitadas, las cuales se envían por correo o se entregan personalmente si la persona acude a buscarlas según se le especifique.

8. Archivo de solicitudes

Una vez recibidas las solicitudes se dejan pendientes en espera de los aranceles. Si estos no se reciben dentro de quince (15) días de presentada la solicitud, ésta se archiva.

Esto significa, entre otras cosas, que nuestra página es la segunda página de internet sobre Derecho y Leyes en Puerto Rico más visitada, después de Lexjuris, según un estudio independiente realizado recientemente.

Considerando que BoricuaLaw lleva online desde el 2007, y Lexjuris lleva registrada desde el 1998, y su Page Rank® es de 5, es muchísima más razón para celebrar. No hubiésemos logrado tanto éxito sin el apoyo de ustedes, nuestros lectores.

¡Gracias a todos los que visitan nuestra página!

Se trata de Abogados Laborales, y es creación del Lcdo. Alex Fleming y la Lcda. Carmen Maldonado.

Les damos la más cordial bienvenida a ambos a la escena bloguera legal puertorriqueña, aunque el Lcdo. Fleming lleva más tiempo en ella que muchos otros publicando en otro blog, Doing Business in Puerto Rico.

Personalmente, agradezco la llegada de un blog sobre derecho laboral, tanto por su necesidad, como por su aportación de información sobre este tema tan concurrido. Sé que me servirá a mi, tanto como a los lectores del mismo como fuente de información útil, y como referencia para cualquier asunto sobre Derecho Laboral en Puerto Rico.

Recuerde visitarlo en www.AbogadosLaborales.com.

A. Sin aún divorciarse, con sus dos hijos, y sin que el padre de los menores lo supiera.

B. Si habrían repercusiones legales por hacerlo.

Después de reponerme de la pregunta y todo lo que pensé que podría ir mal con esta situación, le conteste lo siguiente:

Irse de Puerto Rico con menores, sin que el otro padre lo sepa es malísima idea. Para empezar, si el padre que se marcha con el menor no tiene custodia legítima del menor según dispuesto por el Tribunal, podría ser Privación Ilegal de Custodia (Art. 135, Código Penal) lo cual es un delito grave de cuarto grado.

En segundo lugar, podría incurrir en desacato a una orden del tribunal, tal como disponga el decreto de custodia del menor, o las órdenes de relaciones paterno-filiales (o materno-filiales) vigentes al momento de marcharse.

Estas disposiciones son a discresión del padre que no consintió a la remoción de los menores de la jurisdicción de Puerto Rico. Quizás al padre no le importe, pero si le importa, podría solicitar el regreso de los menores a Puerto Rico, por virtud del Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (PKPA). El PKPA no dispone que sería un delito remover a un menor de la jurisdicción sin el consentimiento del otro padre, pero sí le brinda reciprocidad a las determinaciones de custodia de una jurisdicción en otra.

En adición, al momento de evaluar la viabilidad del padre que se llevó los menores en una vista de custodia, luce malísimo que por desespero, irreflexión o falta de razonabilidad se intente sacar a los menores de Puerto Rico sin que se sepa. Esto demuestra furtividad, y no es una medida “prudente y razonable”. Un Tribunal podría remover a los menores de la custodia de su madre porque no actuó por el mejor bienestar de los menores, sino del suyo propio.

Así que la contestación es mixta: sí, se pueden llevar a los menores de Puerto Rico sin que el padre se entere, pero también hay repercusiones legales por hacerlo.

Why is that?

Mario Nuñez recently gathered a list of blawgs for his Derecho 2.0 blog. Mario isn’t an attorney, but is fascinated with the capabilities that Web 2.0 has for dispersing information. His magnificent blogging projects are listed on his webpage Vida Digital and DigiZen

Here’s the list:

• BoricuaLaw by Christian Frank Fas

• Doing Business in Puerto Rico by Robert Alex Fleming

• Impericia Médica by José Fernando Velázquez

• Puerto Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

• Debido proceso de Ley by Rolando Emmanuelli Jiménez

• MortisCausa by Christian Frank Fas

Can you believe that there are only 6 blawgs listed? And 2 of them are mine?!

I’ll add a couple more to the list:

• Sus Preguntas de Inmigración by Fernando O. Zambrana

• Blog del Lcdo. Hugo Arana Torrós by Hugo Arana Torrós

If a Puerto Rico Legal Blog Convention was to be held today, and a panel of all the bloggers came to attendance, we wouldn’t fill up a small classroom. We’re in dire need of more legal bloggers. I’m sure that a few of my fellow attorneys that regularly read this webpage, and that have subscribed to the E-mail or RSS feed are excellent writers, and have plenty to share with both the general and legal community.

Go ahead! Start your blog NOW!

Do like I did, go over to Blogger or TypePad or Wordpress and start writing your day to day meanderings, or your insight to your cases, or anything that comes to mind. We all benefit from your input, and there’s enough room on the Internet to share, but please, clear your agenda for 10 minutes a day, and compose a paragraph of anything legal. You’ll thank me for it, and even if you don’t thank me, you’ll be much happier in the end.

¿Qué hago ahora?

El emplazamiento es el requisito primordial de notificación de cualquier demanda civil. Es la forma en que el sistema judicial se encarga de informar a quienes están envueltos en una demanda, y les pide que aparezcan ante un tribunal dentro de un término de tiempo.

Desde el día en que uno es emplazado, se tienen 20 días para contestar la demanda. Si el emplazado está en los Estados Unidos, o fuera de Puerto Rico, o si se emplazó por edicto, se tienen 30 días para contestar la demanda. (32 L.P.R.A. Ap. III R. 10.1)

Desde ese momento en adelante, la comparecencia ante el tribunal es compulsoria. Si uno no comparece luego de ser emplazado, el tribunal podrá decidir el caso completo en mi contra sin escuchar mi versión de los hechos, y no podré levantar las defensas que la ley me concede ante cualquier demanda.

Es importantísimo que luego de ser emplazado, busque asesoría legal. El tiempo para contestar es corto, y mientras más tiempo tenga su abogado, mejor será su contestación.

First off, let’s start by stating that there is no such thing as “probate” in Puerto Rico. Wills must comply with such strict legal and notary guidelines that our Civil Code has practically replaced the need for a probate procedure. No legal procedure is necessary for the estate to be partitioned amongst all the heirs if they all convene on how to do so. Unless an executor (“albacea” in Spanish) is designated, the testament itself is enough to transmit the ownership of the totality of the estate to the heirs. With a valid testament, heirs can partition the estate as they see fit.

If by this time you’re asking how creditors are protected if probate doesn’t exist here, know that heirs personally owe all the debts incurred by the deceased if they accept their inheritance. Estates are also tax exempt in Puerto Rico up to $1,000,000.00, so in most cases, estates are tax-free.

Our Civil Code establishes that a testament drafted outside of Puerto Rico must comply with the law of where it is drafted to be valid. If the testament is valid where drafted, it is valid here (31 L.P.R.A. § 2221), just as long as it complies with our local law regarding the institution of heirs in thirds, and does not contain any illegal disposition. If the testament has been probated, then perhaps the best way to apply its distribution of the estate is through an exequatur procedure. But remember, even if valid in another jurisdiction, and legally probated, it must comply with Puerto Rico’s testamentary law.

While in Common Law jurisdictions the disposition of the testator is paramount, in most Civilist jurisdictions, the inclusion of descendants is protected. In Puerto Rico, a third of the estate must be reserved for the “forceful” heirs. A will that leaves the totality of the estate to the surviving spouse must be treated as intestate for the “strict legitimate third”, and the rest of the will is valid as to whatever properties are left to be bequeathed. In order to disinherit a “forceful” heir in Puerto Rico, the testator must expressly exclude the heir in a valid will, and only by applying a cause specified in our Civil Code.

So, to sum up this complex partly intestate partition, the birth of a mixed estate partition may usually require a Declaration of Heirs in order to divide the estate left in Puerto Rico.

Thus, the conditioned treatment of a stateside or foreign will, be it probated or un-probated will must comply with Puertorrican law. If part of the estate that is to be treated as intestate, a Declaration of Heirs is mandatory for that portion of the estate. The remaining two thirds of the estate is to be distributed according to however the foreign will disposes.

As a growing number of expatriates begin to claim their parent’s estates in Puerto Rico, those who expect the estate to be partitioned exactly as their testator wished the estate to be divided amongst his or her heirs, face the sometimes uncomfortable truth that estate partitions in Puerto Rico are completely different from their familiar laws.

Again, thank you Astrid for such an interesting topic that I’ve barely scratched here, so feel free to comment and ask about anything that I’ve written today.

This Registry is mandatory for any will drafted by a Public Notary in Puerto Rico, and in order to verify that the deceased did not draft a will, this Certification is necessary to petition for a Declaration of Heirs.

The Certificacion can be solicited by:

Oficina de Inspección de Notarías
Registro de Poderes y Testamentos
PO Box 190860
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00919-0860

Once you obtain the Certification, the process to petition the Declaration of Heirs can begin.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download the application, click here to get it:

In Puerto Rico, instead of regarding the intentions of the testator as paramount, the inclusion of forced heirs is protected under our inheritance laws. While in Common Law jurisdictions, such as most of the United States, the final dispositions of the testator are protected, the inclusion of the forced heirs is necessary for a will to have complete validity. Although a will where the forced heirs are not included is not completely invalidated, a portion of the estate must be set aside for them to inherit in preferential order. That means that forced heirs get to inherit first, and anyone else named in the will as heir must wait in line until after they have received their birthright.

What is a Forced Heir?

Forced heirs are defined by our Civil Code article 736 (31 L.P.R.A. § 2362), and are all the descendants of the testator. In plain English, descendants are all the offspring, be it born within or outside of matrimony, designated by birth from the testator to infinity. In other words, great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren are forced heirs.

If the testator does not leave behind any descendants, then the forced heirs are his ascendants. Ascendants are the parents, grandparents and great-grandparents of the testator, and are divided into two separate lines: the father’s side and the mother’s side. Any one ascendant that survives a testator without descendants must be named as an heir in a testament.

If the testator does not have any descendants or ascendants, then he or she has no forced heirs, and can leave everything within his or her estate to whomever he or she pleases, according to our Civil Code article 692 (31 L.P.R.A. § 2281).

The purpose of forced heirship in Civilist jurisdictions, such as our own, is to keep the estate within a single family, and to provide a means of economic sustenance by inheritance. This, in turn, aids in the distribution of wealth between families, and prevents the government from having to provide welfare to someone who might be disinherited impulsively.

Even without forced heirs, the testator must leave his or her estate to a person, be it a natural person such as a human, or to a legal entity as a non-profit organization. Animals, such as cat, cannot inherit in Puerto Rico.

Fluffy might be one thing that loves me the most in this world, but unfortunately, I cannot name him as sole heir in my estate. Hey, I could set up a trust fund to take care of Fluffy, but that would be a whole other topic to write about further on…