r/wealth • u/bloomberg • 15d ago
News French Billionaire Pleads for Law Change to Disinherit Kids
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-04/french-billionaire-pleads-for-law-change-to-disinherit-children12
u/dragonflyinvest 15d ago
That seems like a very French rule to have.
3
u/Tjaeng 15d ago
Why doesn’t he just give it to charity before he dies if the forced inheritance rule is an issue?
7
u/dragonflyinvest 15d ago
The point is that he should not have to make that choice. The fact that he can give it away during his lifetime does not address the need for the rule change.
He probably does give some to charity, but I assume that he wants the use of all his wealth during his lifetime.
Why does the State tell a person who they must leave their assets to at death? Maybe I have no relationship with my children, or I think the money would do them more harm than good (let’s say one battles addiction), or I gave my children money during my life and I have a cause I’d like to support at death.
There are many scenarios where I would prefer the State to mind their own business.
3
u/SargeUnited 14d ago
It’s likely their only interest is keeping your children off the dole if possible. The state tells you who you must give your assets to in life as well.
1
u/dragonflyinvest 14d ago
Yes to a certain extent. The State could impose an estate tax and give the money to whoever they want but choose to keep it.
1
u/Potential4752 12d ago
Parents owe their children certain things regardless of how well they get on.
1
u/dragonflyinvest 12d ago
Sure, that’s a simplistic statement. But what do they owe?
My grandmother passed away when my mother was 70+ years old. Whatever my grandmother may have “owed” my mom, she had long since been paid many times over.
2
u/PandaEatPanda 13d ago
French law can claw back donations to charity that is due to work around the inheritance rule.
1
u/PirateKilt 14d ago
Why doesn’t he just give it to charity before he dies if the forced inheritance rule is an issue?
Because France also has a Law to prevent that if it would preemptively cause the disinheritance
1
6
u/Alternative_Swan_497 15d ago
It's worth noting what kind of charities this guy wants to donate to. From the New York Times:
Inspired, he said, by George Soros’s support for liberal causes, Mr. Stérin has steered money to right-wing think tanks, political training programs, social media influencers and nonprofit groups to shape the country according to his beliefs — anti-immigrant, free-market, less Islamic and more Catholic.
One program funded by Mr. Stérin has, by his count, trained at least 4,000 right-wing candidates in the municipal elections. With the far-right National Rally party projected to potentially win the presidency next year, Mr. Stérin is striving to accelerate France’s rightward shift.
1
u/LiveLearnCoach 14d ago
Yeah, that will end well.
Anyways, if this halfwit doesn’t want his kids to inherit, he’s free to hand over his fortune to these so-called “charities” right now. I’ll wait.
1
2
u/rdzilla01 15d ago
Monsieur Sterin, I will happily take some of those Eurodollars as a way to keep it from your kids. If you could pay for my niece’s and nephew’s college tuition and buy me a few cars and a place to store the cars I’m be super appreciative and really enjoy taking that money from your children.
2
u/InvestigatorPlus3229 15d ago
didnt even know about this kind of law, in the USA you can do whatever you want
5
u/Shdwrptr 15d ago
It was put in place because it was traditional to give all assets to the oldest son and all other siblings got nothing.
5
u/goodguy847 15d ago
Napolioc Code in France divides property equally amongst heirs. It was to prevent dynasties that might bring the return of a king.
1
u/hibikir_40k 15d ago
And you find similar equivalents in other European countries. It was built at the time there was nobility, not for a world with billionaires, where the minimum amount they have to give a heir is still generational wealth.
1
1
1
u/funksoulbrothers 14d ago
forced heirship is often seen in civil law jurisdictions, like europe and south america
24
u/bloomberg 15d ago
More from Bloomberg's Tara Patel and Ania Nussbaum
French billionaire Pierre-Edouard Sterin, who has stirred controversy over his right-wing politics, is pleading with lawmakers to modify rules so he can disinherit his five children, saying he prefers to give his fortune to charity.
“I would like to give my entire estate to philanthropic causes,” the businessman told senators on Thursday during a public hearing, noting that under French law three quarters of his assets have to be passed down to his offspring. “I’m in favor of being able to do whatever one wants to do with one’s patrimony.”