Brazil Senate pushes inheritance reform to let spouses be excluded from compulsory heir status

The Brazilian Senate is reviewing Bill PL 4/2025, a proposal to amend the Civil Code so that a spouse or partner can be removed from the list of compulsory heirs when a testate succession occurs. The bill, originally slated for a June report, has had its deadline extended to 22 December at the request of Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco, who cited the bill’s breadth and the upcoming election calendar. Legal scholar Jamille Saraty Graim explained that the change would affect only the portion of the estate subject to the mandatory legitime, leaving the spouse’s share of jointly owned assets untouched.

In the Chamber of Deputies, two urgent bills – PL 101/26 and the so‑called “PL Suzane von Richtofen” – aim to strip inheritance rights from individuals convicted of crimes against relatives, extending the loss of inheritance to collateral relatives up to the fourth degree, to parents who lose parental authority, and to anyone who coerces a testator. Deputy Dayany Bittencourt and Deputy Marangoni argue the measures close gaps in current law that limit disinheritance to direct victims only.