Do early inheritances count towards overall inheritance in Switzerland?

My parents died young, so my sister and I (the grandchildren) are the primary heirs. My sister was always my grandparents' pet and they gave her a large early inheritance - most of their money - before they passed away.

So as it stands now that they are dead, my part of their estate is next to nothing, which I find unfair. Do I have a right to part of the money which my sister received from my grandparents while they were still alive?

Hi there,

Early inheritances transacted while the estate holder is alive must be included in the inheritance pool after the estate holder dies. The pool must then be divided among legal heirs in keeping with Swiss inheritance rules.

In your case, if the money was in fact given to your sister as an early inheritance, you have the legal right to demand that the entire amount she received while your grandparents were alive be included in the inheritance pool. The money in the pool will then be divided between you and other heirs. If she already spent the money, she will owe you the portion which should have gone to you, and you can expect her to repay the debt.

Best regards from Moneyguru