When a loved one dies, a family faces grief and, at the same time, a list of procedures almost nobody knows: finding the will, the declaration of heirs, Hacienda's estate return, the relevo, the bank, the CRIM and the Property Registry. CaudalRelicto.com explains that path calmly and in plain language. Caudal relicto is the name Puerto Rico law gives to the property and debts a person leaves at death.
What you will find
- Step-by-step guides on the basics, who inherits, wills, the process, special cases and estate planning.
- Free calculators: who inherits without a will, the forced share, deadlines after a death and the funds a bank may release before the relevo. They run in your browser; we never store what you type.
- A documents checklist, a glossary and frequently asked questions.
- Every page is available in Spanish and English, for families in Puerto Rico and in the States. Use the language link at the top of any page.
How we work
Every guide is written from primary sources: the current text of Puerto Rico's 2020 Civil Code, the 2011 Internal Revenue Code, the Notarial Act and Act 282-1999 on non-contentious matters before notaries, the Property Registry Act, the Municipal Code, and publications of Hacienda, the courts, the CRIM, Social Security and the IRS. Sources are listed at the end of each page. Read our editorial standards.
What we are not
CaudalRelicto.com is not Puerto Rico's Departamento de Hacienda, the courts, the Office of Notarial Inspection, the CRIM or any government agency. The information is educational and does not replace advice from an attorney-notary who knows your case. If you would like an attorney to review your situation, you can request a consultation.
Contact
A correction or a suggestion? Use our contact form.