Probate Lawyer in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Probate lawyer in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for foreign heirs. Elias Kier Joffe and his team of English-speaking attorneys settle estates anywhere in Argentina, sell inherited property and send the money abroad, without you traveling.
Since 1940
Headquartered in Buenos Aires
Featured in
The New York Times & BBC News
English-speaking lawyers
Probate anywhere in Argentina
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Probate in Argentina for foreign heirs
English-Speaking Probate Attorneys in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Why Probate Comes Before Selling Inherited Assets
When someone dies leaving property, bank accounts or a business in Argentina, you can’t just sell or transfer those assets. A court first has to open a probate case, confirm who the heirs are and authorize each transfer. If you live in the U.S., Canada or Europe, that’s hard to follow from far away: the paperwork is in Spanish, the courts follow local rules, and the requirements depend on where your loved one lived and where the assets are.
Handle Probate in Argentina Without Traveling
You don’t need to get on a plane. You sign a power of attorney where you live, have it apostilled, and our probate lawyers take it from there, from filing the case in Argentina to selling or registering the property in your name. International families have trusted us with exactly this since 1940. Probate is one of the services our estate lawyers in Argentina handle anywhere in the country.
Clear Costs, Timelines and Updates in English
No surprises. We explain every step in plain English, give you a realistic estimate of cost and timing before we start, and keep you posted as the case moves forward. And if things get complicated, like heirs who don’t agree, missing documents or someone living in the property, we’ll have a plan for it.
Apartments, Farmland and Bank Accounts Anywhere in Argentina
An apartment in Buenos Aires, a country house, farmland in the provinces, money stuck in an Argentine bank: whatever you inherited, we’ll help you understand your options and decide what’s best for you and your family.
One Point of Contact for Legal, Tax and Notarial Matters
We are a one-stop legal solution. Our team includes lawyers, accountants, Argentine notaries (escribanos) and certified translators, all under one roof and coordinated by attorney Elias Kier Joffe. When needed, we also work directly with your own lawyers and accountants back home, for example if there’s a probate case in your country too, or to check the tax impact of your inheritance there.
Our probate and inheritance services include:
✓ Opening probate for estates without a will and obtaining the court declaration of heirs (declaratoria de herederos).
✓ Probating wills executed in Argentina or abroad.
✓ Identifying forced heirs and explaining how Argentina's reserved shares (legítima) affect the distribution.
✓ Locating real estate, bank accounts, vehicles and shares held by the deceased.
✓ Inventory, valuation and partition of the estate among heirs.
✓ Registering inherited real estate and preparing it for sale, rental or donation.
✓ Advising on related tax matters, including the Province of Buenos Aires tax on gratuitous transfers of assets.
✓ Our own lawyers, accountants, notaries and certified translators, working with your advisors back home when needed.
Simple process
How Our Probate Law Firm in Argentina Handles Your Case
1
Case review
You tell us about the deceased, the assets and the heirs. We explain your options in plain English.
2
Power of attorney and documents
We prepare the power of attorney and a document checklist. You sign abroad; no travel needed.
3
Court case in Argentina
We file and manage the probate case and keep you updated at every stage.
4
Transfer, registration or sale
The assets are registered in the heirs' names, or sold and the funds distributed.
Who you’ll work with
Meet Your Argentine Probate Lawyer, Elias Kier Joffe
Hi, I’m Elias Kier Joffe. My grandfather founded this firm in Buenos Aires in 1940, and I’m the third generation leading it.
I know what you’re facing. Someone you love has passed away, and now you have to deal with courts, banks and paperwork in another country, in another language, from far away. My job is to make that simple.
I oversee every case personally, and I’ll always tell you the truth about your case, even when it’s not what you want to hear.
You’ll always know who’s looking after your inheritance: me.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to travel to Argentina?
No. You sign a power of attorney in front of a notary where you live and have it apostilled (or legalized at the Argentine consulate). With that, we handle everything anywhere in Argentina, from opening the probate case to selling the property. Some clients like to fly in for the signing of the sale, but it’s never required.
How much does probate cost in Argentina?
Honest answer: it depends on your case. Here’s what moves the price:
• How many heirs there are, and whether they all hire us or each one has a separate lawyer.
• Whether the heirs agree on what to do with the assets.
• How many assets there are: properties, bank accounts, vehicles.
• Where the assets are located: in one province only, or in several. Each additional province may require opening the case there too.
• Whether the property is occupied. If someone is living there without a right to stay, an eviction case may be needed before it can be sold.
• Whether you plan to keep the property or sell it.
Simplest case: all the heirs agree, hire us together and keep one property. Most complex: each heir has a different lawyer, the property is occupied and it has to be sold. After your free 15-minute consultation, we send you a written quote, so you know the number before you commit.
How long does probate take?
It depends on the same things as the cost:
• How many heirs there are, and whether they all hire us or each one has a separate lawyer.
• Whether the heirs agree on what to do with the assets.
• How many assets there are: properties, bank accounts, vehicles.
• Where the assets are located: in one province only, or in several.
• Whether the property is occupied.
In the simplest case (the heirs agree and there’s one property in one province), probate usually takes 2 to 4 months, depending on the court’s workload. If someone is living in the property and won’t leave, an eviction case comes next, and that can add 6 months to 2 years.
If I sell the inherited property, can I receive the money abroad?
Yes. Once the court declares the heirs, we can sell the property with your power of attorney, so you don’t need to travel to sign the deed. Then we help you get the money to your bank account abroad, for example in the U.S., Canada or Europe, through the proper legal channels. We’ve done this many times.
Who inherits if there is no will?
Under Argentine law, if there is no will, the estate goes first to the children and the surviving spouse. If there are no children, it goes to the parents and the spouse; if there are none, to the spouse alone, and then to siblings and other relatives. Argentina also has forced heirship: even with a will, children, parents and spouses are entitled to a reserved share (legítima). Tell us about your family, and we’ll confirm who inherits.
Can a will signed abroad be used?
Often, yes. A will signed in the U.S. or another country can usually be used in Argentina, as long as it meets certain requirements and is apostilled and translated. Keep in mind that Argentine forced heirship rules still apply. Send it to us, and we’ll tell you whether it works for your case.
Your next step
Talk to a Probate Lawyer in Buenos Aires Now
Not sure where to start? That’s what the free 15-minute consultation is for. We’ll listen to your situation, explain your options in plain English and tell you the next step.
Give us a call or send us a WhatsApp message today, and we’ll get back to you the same day—even on weekends.
General information only. Probate, marital property, conflict-of-laws, tax and registration consequences depend on the specific facts of each case.