2020 Civil Code vs. 1930 Code: Which Applies to Your Estate
The date of death decides which rules are used to divide an estate in Puerto Rico. We explain the main differences between the two codes, with a table and worked examples.
Guides · 6 articles
The basics
What a decedent's estate is, what happens to the property after a death, the deceased's debts, the spouse's community property, which Civil Code applies and how to accept or refuse an inheritance.
Accepting or Refusing an Inheritance in Puerto Rico
No one is required to be an heir. We explain how you accept or refuse an inheritance, which acts count as accepting, what happens to your share if you refuse, and when refusing makes sense.
Community Property and Inheritance in Puerto Rico
If the deceased was married under community property, half of that property already belongs to the surviving spouse. We explain how the regime is settled before the estate is divided, with a worked example.
Debts of the Deceased in Puerto Rico: Who Pays Them
In Puerto Rico, heirs do not pay the deceased's debts with their own money. We explain the legal limit, its exception and what to do about mortgages, cards, Hacienda and collectors.
The Estate and Co-Ownership Among Heirs in Puerto Rico
From the death until the division of the estate, the heirs own everything together. Here is who manages, how decisions are made, who pays expenses and what happens if you rent the house.
What Is a Decedent's Estate (Caudal Relicto) in Puerto Rico
The caudal relicto is everything a person leaves behind at death, along with the debts. We explain what is included, what is not and how to work out what is actually divided.
Calculators for this topic
See all →Who inherits without a will?
Each heir's share under the 2020 Civil Code, with community property first.
Funds without the relevo
How much a bank or insurer may release before Hacienda's lien release.
