The first word I ever searched for in my life: What was an "Inheritance Division Agreement"?

My father was not a man who showed his emotions very often.
Whether he was talking about work,
or eating with the family,
he was, if anything, a man of few words.

But he was different when he was with his grandchildren.
He would show a gentle smile that I had never seen before.
Every time I saw that smile, I would think to myself.

"I wonder if my father smiled with a face like this when I was born, too."

I can no longer hear the answer to that question.
That is exactly why I wish I had talked to him more while he was still healthy.
There are so many things I feel that way about.

One of them was about "inheritance."

As I wrote in my previous article, I found my father's assets.
There were bankbooks,
and there were insurance policies,
but I didn't know what to do next.

"How is my mother supposed to receive this money?"

"What should we do about the family home?"

I opened my smartphone.
The first word I ever searched for in my life.

"Inheritance Division Agreement"

Until that day, I had never heard of it even once.

What is an "Inheritance Division Agreement"?

When I searched for it, many articles from law firms and judicial scrivener offices came up.
But they were full of difficult terms.
"Statutory heir"
"Statutory share of inheritance"
"Co-heir"
The more I read, the more confused I became.

So, I changed my way of thinking.

"What is the purpose of this document?"

What I found out after researching was very simple.

Who inherits what from the assets of the deceased.

It is a document that summarizes the details discussed and agreed upon by all the heirs.
That is an Inheritance Division Agreement.
It is not a difficult legal document, but rather,

a document to record the promises made by the family.

When I thought of it that way, I felt a little relieved.

Even for me, working in real estate, it was a first.

Actually, I work in the real estate industry.
I am used to looking at real estate registries and handling real estate-related documents on a daily basis.
Therefore, I didn't have much trouble with my family home's real estate.
However, an "Inheritance Division Agreement" was a first for me.
What should I write?
How much can I do on my own?
At first, I had no idea.

So, I think it is only natural for those without real estate knowledge to feel anxious.
Conversely, it is also a document that can be understood if you grasp the key points.

I thought, "I have no choice but to leave it all to someone else."

At first, I...

thought, "I have no choice but to ask a professional for this."

That is what I thought.

Of course,
・The heirs are in conflict
・The assets are complex
・Inheritance tax filing is required
In such cases, the help of a professional is necessary.

On the other hand, if all heirs are in agreement and the inheritance is relatively simple, there are cases where you can create it yourself.

What I also learned is that you don't just make one copy of an Inheritance Division Agreement and finish.
It may be required for each submission destination, such as banks or securities companies.
Some financial institutions will return the original, but it can take time to get it back.
Therefore, if you create the necessary number of copies at the beginning, you can proceed with subsequent procedures smoothly.

Instead of "not knowing anything and leaving it all to someone else,"
knowing "what you can do yourself" and "what to ask a professional for."
I felt that this difference is very significant.

I was able to do it because I had "time"

Looking back, I had one big stroke of luck.
Because I was mainly working remotely at the time, I was able to secure relatively enough time to return to my hometown.
Going to the municipal office
Going to the bank
Going to the Legal Affairs Bureau
I was able to move around many times on weekdays.

If I had been living outside the prefecture and couldn't take time off work,
I am sure I would have thought, "I'll just ask a professional to do everything."

That is by no means a bad choice.
In the sense of buying time, it is very valuable.
However, if you have just a little bit of knowledge,

"I can do this much myself."

"I'll ask a professional for this part."

You will be able to make such choices.

Because of one thing my mother said, I decided to write down this experience

When the procedures had settled down a bit,
my mother told me this.

"My friend said that when her husband passed away, she left almost everything to the professionals."
"It seems it cost quite a bit, too."

And then, with a small smile,

"When I told her that my son handled it for us and it was a huge help, she was so envious."

After saying that, my mother looked at me and said,

"You were a real lifesaver."

After a brief pause,

"I'm sure your father is proud of you, too."

Those words made me let out a sigh of relief.
Ever since my father passed away,

"Am I doing this right?"

I had been filled with nothing but that kind of anxiety.
But those words from my mother

"I'm glad I did it."

made me feel that way.

What I want to tell my past self

If I could meet myself back when my father had just passed away,
I would tell her this.

"There's no need to panic."

You can just look up the things you don't understand one by one.
You can just consult with professionals only where necessary.
And knowledge about inheritance isn't just for protecting assets.

It is also knowledge for protecting the family left behind.

That is why I am writing down this experience.
So that someone else feeling the same anxiety can find even a little bit of peace of mind.
And for those whose parents are still healthy,
I want them to cherish the 'now'—the time when they can still talk about inheritance as a family.

That little bit of preparation will surely help your family in the future.

Next time

The thing I struggled with most regarding the Inheritance Division Agreement was how to write down my "family home."
"I should just write the address."
That is what I thought, until I looked at the certified copy of the real estate registry and learned something for the first time.
Next time,

"I thought I should just write the address."

I will talk about how to read a "certified copy of the real estate registry," which is the first hurdle for those inheriting a family home, while sharing my own personal experience.