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Inheritance Rights of a Cohabiting Partner 2026

Guide · Updated 26.4.2026

Over half a million Finns have incorrect information: a cohabiting partner does not inherit by law in Finland, even if the relationship has lasted 30 years and you have children together. Here is a short and precise guide on what a cohabiting partner is entitled to, what they are not entitled to, and how you can protect them.

In brief

A cohabiting partner does not inherit by law. The only way to leave an inheritance to a cohabiting partner is through a will. A cohabiting partner can claim compensation from the joint household if the relationship lasted at least 5 years or there was a common child (Act 26/2011). A cohabiting partner generally belongs to inheritance tax class 2 (higher taxes).

Why a Cohabiting Partner Does Not Inherit in Finland

Finland's order of succession is defined in Perintökaari (40/1965). According to it, heirs are ordered as follows:

Direct descendants — children and their descendants
Parents — if there are no direct descendants
Siblings and their descendants — if the parents are deceased
Grandparents and their descendants

A spouse is listed separately. They have the right to a marital share and to possession of the shared home (Perintökaari 3:1a). A cohabiting partner is not mentioned in the legal text at all — they are not an heir regardless of the duration of the relationship or common children.

This also applies to unregistered partnerships. Only official marriage or a registered partnership provides a statutory right to inherit.

Protection of Joint Household — Act 26/2011

The Act on the Dissolution of the Household of Cohabiting Partners (26/2011), which came into force in 2011, gives a cohabiting partner limited protection, but this is not inheritance — it concerns compensation for work done for the benefit of the joint household.

When Does the Act Protect?

The cohabitation has lasted at least 5 years, or
The couple has or has had a common child

What Does the Act Provide?

A cohabiting partner can claim compensation if they have contributed to the joint household in a way that has benefited the deceased's property — for example, renovating the shared home, caring for common children, or managing the financial affairs of the joint household so that the deceased could focus on their work.

The amount of compensation is assessed by an estate distributor or a court. In practice, the amounts are often a few thousand euros, but can rise to tens of thousands in cases of a long relationship and significant contribution.

Important: Compensation is not automatic. The cohabiting partner must present the claim at the estate inventory or during estate proceedings, and if necessary, apply for it from the district court. Seek help from a legal aid office or a lawyer.

How to Protect Your Cohabiting Partner

1. Make a Will

A will is the only certain way to leave an inheritance to a cohabiting partner. The formal requirements for a will are strict:

Written form
Signed in the presence of two impartial witnesses
The witnesses sign and add a witness statement
The witnesses may not be beneficiaries of the will or their close relatives

You can make a will yourself, for example based on a template from Verohallinto, but if the situation is complex (children from a previous relationship, business activities, real estate), it is advisable to use a lawyer. Free legal aid is available for those with low income: oikeus.fi/oikeusapu →

2. The Reserved Portion Limits the Will

Even if you make a will, the deceased's direct descendants have the right to a reserved portion — half of their statutory inheritance share. In practice, this means you can bequeath at most half of your assets to your cohabiting partner if you have direct descendants who invoke their reserved portion.

Example: if you have one child, they can claim as their reserved portion ¼ of the assets (half of their full inheritance share of ½). In this case, you can bequeath ¾ to your cohabiting partner.

3. Life Insurance and Beneficiary Designation

The beneficiary of a life insurance policy can be anyone — including a cohabiting partner. This is often the best way to provide significant financial security to a cohabiting partner, as the beneficiary designation bypasses the will. The payout is made directly from the insurance company and is often a more tax-efficient route than inheritance tax.

Inheritance Taxation of a Cohabiting Partner

If a cohabiting partner receives an inheritance through a will, they pay inheritance tax like other heirs. However, the tax class makes a big difference:

Tax class 1 (lower tax rates): spouse, children, grandchildren, parents
Tax class 2 (higher tax rates): siblings, siblings' descendants, all others — including a cohabiting partner as a general rule

Exception: If the cohabiting partners have lived together and have or have had a common child, the cohabiting partner may belong to tax class 1 pursuant to Section 7 of Tuloverolaki.

Read more about inheritance tax 2026 →

The Shared Home — What Happens

One of the most common fears of a cohabiting partner is losing the shared home. The solutions depend on whose name the home is in:

Home in the Deceased's Name

The home belongs to the estate and goes to the heirs. The cohabiting partner has no automatic right to continue living there, even if the relationship lasted decades. The heirs can give permission to stay, sell the home, or require the cohabiting partner to move out.

Jointly Owned Home (Half in Each Name)

The deceased's half goes to the estate and the heirs. Your half remains yours. In practice, this means you share the home with the heirs — which often leads to a sale and division.

Rental Apartment

If the rental agreement was in the deceased's name, you can continue living there if you have been living in the apartment and offer to continue the rental agreement. According to Section 46 of the Housing Act, the landlord can only object for justified reasons. With a joint rental agreement, your share remains unchanged.

Has your loved one died and are you worried about a cohabiting partner's position?

You can get a personal action plan for your situation for free.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does a cohabiting partner inherit in Finland?

No. A cohabiting partner does not inherit by law in Finland, even if the cohabitation has lasted decades. Perintökaari (40/1965) recognises as heirs only the deceased's direct descendants, parents, siblings and their descendants, as well as the surviving spouse in a marriage. The only way for a cohabiting partner to inherit is through a will.

Does the length of cohabitation help?

Not automatically in terms of inheritance, but the Act on the Dissolution of the Household of Cohabiting Partners (26/2011) gives the cohabiting partner the right to claim compensation for work done for the benefit of the joint household if the cohabitation has lasted at least 5 years or the couple has or has had a common child. This is not inheritance — it concerns compensation, which may be, for example, a monetary payment or a share of joint acquisitions.

How do I make a will for a cohabiting partner?

A will is made in writing and signed in the presence of two impartial witnesses. The witnesses must be present at the same time and add a witness statement to the will. You can make a will yourself, but using a lawyer reduces the risk of interpretation disputes. A legal aid office helps those with low income free of charge or at reduced cost.

Which inheritance tax class does a cohabiting partner belong to?

A cohabiting partner belongs to inheritance tax class 2 (everyone except spouse, children, parents). Tax class 2 is taxed at a higher rate than tax class 1. Exception: if the cohabiting partners have lived together and have or have had a common child, the cohabiting partner may belong to tax class 1 pursuant to Section 7 of Tuloverolaki. Check the situation with Verohallinto.

What happens to the shared home if a cohabiting partner dies?

If the home was in the deceased's name, it belongs to the estate and goes to the heirs. The cohabiting partner has no automatic right to continue living there. A jointly registered home (half in each name) means the deceased's half goes to the heirs and the other half belongs to you. In a rental apartment, the rental agreement may transfer to a member of the household under certain conditions.

Can a cohabiting partner participate in the estate inventory?

Yes — and it is advisable. A cohabiting partner can be present at the estate inventory to ensure their own acquisitions and joint property. If the cohabiting partner has a right to property based on a will, they are a shareholder in the estate and are officially invited to the occasion. Without a will, the cohabiting partner is not a shareholder in the estate but can help as a witness to identify their own property.

Is there a survivor's pension for a cohabiting partner?

No. Kela and occupational pension survivor's pensions are only for those who were married. A cohabiting partner does not receive a survivor's pension, even if the cohabitation lasted decades and there are common children.

Sources

Perintökaari (40/1965): finlex.fi
Act on the Dissolution of the Household of Cohabiting Partners (26/2011): finlex.fi
Verohallinto — Inheritance tax and cohabiting partner: vero.fi