The Tarazoo Brief

Plain-English Legal Literacy for Families

Inheritance, succession, and estate planning — explained the way your family lawyer should have explained it ten years ago. No jargon. No fear-mongering. Just clarity.

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Estate Planning · Family Law
Estate Planning9 min read

Why "Pre-nups" Don't Work Here — And What to Do Instead

Pre-nuptial agreements have no statutory backing under the law. So how do families protect ancestral wealth and inherited assets across a marriage? The answer is matrimonial ringfencing.

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Succession · Women & Wealth
Women & Wealth10 min read

Your Share Is Not a Favour: Women's Inheritance Rights

For generations, women have been quietly steered toward signing relinquishment deeds "for family peace." A direct, plain-English guide to your rights as a daughter, wife, widow, and mother.

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Succession Basics
Succession Basics7 min read

What Actually Happens If You Die Without a Will

Most people die intestate. The cultural assumption is "the family will sort it out." The legal reality is a thicket of statutory rules — different for each religion — decides who gets what.

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Will Basics
Will Basics11 min read

How to Make a Will: A Step-by-Step Guide for First-Timers

Ten clear steps from "I should probably do this" to a properly executed, valid Will. Eligibility, asset inventory, beneficiaries, executor, guardianship, witnessing, registration, and storage.

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Will Basics
Timing9 min read

At What Age Should You Make Your First Will?

The honest answer is "much earlier than you think". Five triggers that make a Will overdue, age-bracket guidance from your 20s to 60s, and the cost of procrastination.

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Asset Succession
Asset Succession12 min read

What Happens to Your Bank Accounts, Demat & Mutual Funds After Death

Asset by asset — savings, FDs, demat, mutual funds, EPF, PPF, NPS, insurance — what your family actually goes through to transmit each. And how a Will compresses the timeline.

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Asset Succession
Common Mistakes10 min read

Will vs. Nomination vs. Joint Account — Who Actually Decides?

The Supreme Court has clarified this repeatedly, but most families still get it wrong. The clean explanation of what nominations, joint mandates, and Wills actually do.

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Estate Math
Estate Math10 min read

The Hidden Cost of Dying Without a Will — Real Numbers

Three concrete scenarios — ₹40 lakh, ₹2.2 crore, ₹15 crore estates — showing exactly how much families pay in legal fees, lost interest, and value destruction without a Will.

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Family Will
Family Will10 min read

How to Appoint a Guardian for Your Minor Children

Parents' deepest fear answered cleanly: a testamentary guardianship nomination that survives court scrutiny, separates person from property, and protects your children from limbo.

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Will Execution
Will Execution9 min read

Will Registration: Do You Need It? Pros, Cons, Costs

Registration is not legally required for validity — so when is it worth it? Four real benefits, the costs, the process, and an honest recommendation by estate size.

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Will Drafting
Common Mistakes10 min read

The 7 Most Common Mistakes in DIY Wills

The same seven errors appear in DIY Wills across the country. Each can invalidate the document. Read this checklist before you execute your draft.

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Will Execution
Will Execution9 min read

Witnesses for Your Will — Who Can Sign, Who Cannot

The Section 67 trap, the beneficiary disqualification, the eligibility criteria, and the 20-minute execution sequence that makes your Will procedurally bulletproof.

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Maintenance
Maintenance9 min read

How Often Should You Update Your Will?

A Will written ten years ago may be more dangerous than no Will at all. The thirteen life events that should trigger a review — and the routine review schedule.

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Business Succession
Business11 min read

Estate Planning for Business Owners — Will, SHA, Trust

Business equity is the asset class most badly handled by intestate succession. How to orchestrate Will + Shareholders' Agreement + Family Trust to preserve continuity and value.

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NRI Estate
NRI Planning11 min read

NRI Wills — Cross-Border Assets, Citizenship, Probate

Two legal systems, possibly more. Domicile vs residence, one-Will vs two-Wills strategy, FEMA-aware asset handling, and the role of trusts in cross-border estates.

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After Death
After Death10 min read

What is Probate? A Plain-English Guide

When probate is required, when it is optional, how to obtain it, what it costs, how long it takes — and how a well-drafted Will glides through probate without complication.

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Digital Estate
Digital Estate10 min read

Digital Assets in Your Will — Crypto, UPI, Cloud, Social

If your Will only mentions bank accounts and property, it is a decade out of date. Crypto, social media, cloud archives, online businesses — the modern estate planning gap.

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Living Will
Healthcare Directive10 min read

Living Wills & Advance Medical Directives (Post-2023 Common Cause)

A traditional Will speaks about your wealth after you die. A living Will speaks about your medical care if you cannot speak for yourself. Now legally recognised in India.

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Succession Law · HUF
Succession Law11 min read

HUF Property and Your Will: What a Karta Can and Cannot Bequeath

Confusing HUF property with self-acquired property is the single most common source of Will-related family disputes. A patient explanation of coparcenary, the 2005 amendment, and what you can actually bequeath.

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Personal Law · Wasiyat
Personal Law10 min read

Wasiyat: A Practical Guide to Muslim Wills in India

The one-third rule, the consent of heirs, Sunni vs. Shia differences. How a wasiyat sits alongside fixed-share inheritance under Muslim Personal Law — and how to draft one that actually works.

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ISA 1925
Personal Law10 min read

Wills for Christian and Parsi Families: How ISA 1925 Actually Works

Two communities, one Act, different chapters. The specific share rules, probate requirements, and the special Goa-and-legacy considerations for Christian and Parsi testators.

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Estate Admin
Estate Administration11 min read

The Executor of a Will: Duties, Powers, Compensation, and Removal

People spend hours thinking about who gets what and almost no time on who will carry it out. The executor is the single most important practical decision in any Will. Choose carefully.

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Will Basics
Will Basics9 min read

What is a Codicil? When (and When Not) to Use One

A small instrument that does important work — when used correctly. When to amend with a codicil, when to draft a fresh Will instead, and how to avoid the contradiction trap that creates fresh disputes.

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Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution12 min read

How to Contest a Will in India: A Realistic Guide

Most Will contests fail. A frank walkthrough of the grounds — capacity, undue influence, fraud, coercion, defective execution — the procedure, the realistic timeline and cost, and when to settle instead.

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Estate Tax
Estate Tax11 min read

Inheritance Tax in India: What You Actually Pay (2026)

"India has no inheritance tax" is technically true and almost completely misleading. Capital gains, stamp duty, income from inherited assets — the full tax picture before you write your Will.

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Estate Structures
Estate Structures11 min read

Private Trust vs. Will: Which Vehicle Should Your Family Use?

For most families, a Will is sufficient. For a meaningful minority — substantial assets, business interests, vulnerable beneficiaries — a private trust adds real value. A side-by-side comparison.

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Asset Succession
Asset Succession10 min read

Joint Property and Your Will: What You Can Actually Bequeath

Joint holdings are the single most common source of confusion in Indian estate planning. The rules of survivorship, joint tenancy, tenancy in common — and how to draft a Will that handles them cleanly.

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Philanthropic Planning
Philanthropic Planning10 min read

Charitable Bequests in Your Will: Building a Legacy That Outlives You

Specific bequests, residuary endowments, restricted purposes, named family endowments. The structures, tax angles, and due diligence that turn good intentions into lasting legacy.

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NRI · Strategy
NRI · Strategy11 min read

One Will or Two? The NRI's Most Important Estate-Planning Decision

The single biggest structural choice an NRI faces in estate planning. Should you draft one global Will or separate Wills for India and your country of residence? A patient walkthrough.

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NRI · USA
NRI · United States11 min read

NRI Wills in the United States: Estate Tax, Probate, and India Coordination

The largest NRI diaspora in the world. American estate tax rules, state-level probate, and the interaction with Indian assets create a landscape that needs careful navigation.

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NRI · UK
NRI · United Kingdom11 min read

NRI Wills in the United Kingdom: Inheritance Tax, Domicile, and Dual Planning

One of the most aggressive inheritance tax regimes among NRI destinations — 40% IHT and strict deemed-domicile rules that catch even long-resident NRIs. A planning guide.

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NRI · UAE
NRI · UAE & Gulf11 min read

NRI Wills in the UAE and Gulf: DIFC, ADGM, and the Sharia Question

The default Sharia rule, the DIFC and ADGM opt-out routes, and how Muslim vs non-Muslim NRIs structure their estates differently. A walkthrough for Gulf-based families.

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NRI · Canada
NRI · Canada11 min read

NRI Wills in Canada: Provincial Probate, Tax, and Indian Coordination

Provincial probate, the deemed-disposition rule (Canada's substitute for inheritance tax), and how to coordinate with Indian succession. Province-by-province guidance.

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NRI · Australia
NRI · Australia11 min read

NRI Wills in Australia: Superannuation, State Probate, and Indian Coordination

State probate, super death benefits and the binding nomination question, family-provision risk, and dual-jurisdiction planning for Australian-based Indian families.

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NRI · Singapore
NRI · Singapore11 min read

NRI Wills in Singapore: Probate, CPF, and Indian Coordination

One of the most efficient succession regimes in Asia, paired with a unique CPF system. A clear guide for Indian families in Singapore.

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NRI · OCI
NRI · OCI11 min read

OCI Cardholders and Indian Inheritance: Rights, Restrictions, and Process

Substantial inheritance rights, but agricultural land carries specific restrictions. Mutation, FEMA compliance, and the differences from full Indian citizenship.

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NRI · Banking
NRI · Banking10 min read

NRE, NRO, and FCNR Accounts on the NRI's Death: A Complete Guide

The financial backbone of most NRI families' India connection. Each account type follows different succession and repatriation rules. A walkthrough for the family.

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NRI · Real Estate
NRI · Real Estate11 min read

NRI-Owned Real Estate in India: Succession, Mutation, and Repatriation

The single largest asset category for most NRI families. Transmission process, mutation, RERA implications, and repatriation of sale proceeds — the full step-by-step.

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NRI · Investments
NRI · Investments10 min read

NRI Mutual Funds and Demat Accounts: Succession, Tax, and Repatriation

Second-largest asset category after real estate. Transmission process, nominee vs Will, PFIC issues for US heirs, and repatriation mechanics.

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NRI · Inheritance
NRI · Inheritance11 min read

When an NRI Inherits from Indian Parents: The Complete Process Guide

Receiving an inheritance from Indian parents — emotionally complex, procedurally rich. A step-by-step guide to managing it competently from abroad.

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NRI · Returning
NRI · Returning10 min read

The RNOR Window: Estate Planning When NRIs Return to India

A unique 2-3 year tax window for returning NRIs. Asset restructuring, gift planning, and tax-efficient transition — the planning opportunity many returnees miss.

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NRI · Operations
NRI · Operations10 min read

Power of Attorney for NRIs: Managing Indian Assets from Abroad

Types of PoA, attestation requirements abroad, stamping and registration in India — and what your PoA can and cannot authorise. The complete process.

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NRI · Procedure
NRI · Procedure9 min read

Witnessing an NRI Will Abroad: Apostille, Embassy Attestation, and Recognition

Witness formalities, apostille, embassy attestation, and how a foreign-executed Will is recognised in Indian probate. The procedural guide for NRIs.

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NRI · Cross-Border
NRI · Cross-Border10 min read

Probate of a Foreign Will in India: The Section 228 Exemplification Process

When an NRI dies with a Will probated abroad — how is it recognised in India? A complete guide to Section 228 ISA and Indian probate of foreign Wills.

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NRI · Insurance
NRI · Insurance10 min read

NRI Life Insurance and Estate Planning: Coordinating Indian and Foreign Policies

Beneficiary rules, the 2015 Insurance Act amendment, tax treatment, and cross-border claim mechanics. A coordinated approach to NRI insurance planning.

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NRI · FEMA
NRI · Compliance10 min read

FEMA Act 1999 and NRI Cross-Border Inheritance: A Compliance Guide

Repatriation limits, NRO/NRE rules, RBI permissions — the FEMA framework that makes the difference between a smooth inheritance and a blocked one.

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NRI · Trusts
NRI · Trusts11 min read

Cross-Border Trusts for NRI Families: When a Trust Beats a Will

For high-net-worth NRI families with multi-jurisdictional assets, trusts can offer planning capabilities Wills cannot. When the complexity is justified — and when it isn't.

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NRI · Family
NRI · Family10 min read

NRI Guardianship: Choosing Guardians for Minor Children Across Borders

The single most important estate-planning decision for NRI families with minor children. Designating guardians across jurisdictions — the legal framework and the human conversation.

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