How to Find Assets in a Spanish Estate in Playa del Inglés

Why a full asset search matters

You Cannot Close an Inheritance Without Knowing What Is In It

Many international heirs are not fully aware of what assets the deceased held in Spain. A person might have owned property in Playa del Inglés, held bank accounts with a Spanish bank, owned a vehicle, or had investments with a Spanish financial institution — all unknown to their family abroad.

Including an asset in the inheritance declaration is mandatory. Omitting an asset is a tax offence that can result in penalties, even if unintentional. We conduct thorough searches to ensure every asset is accounted for before the estate is settled.

      Also check for debts: Asset searches also reveal debts secured against the estate — mortgages on property, outstanding loans or guarantees. Knowing the full picture before accepting the inheritance protects you from unexpected liabilities.
    

What we search for

Types of Assets We Locate in Playa del Inglés

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Property

We search the Registro de la Propiedad (Land Registry) in Playa del Inglés and nationwide to identify all real property (apartments, villas, land, garages, storage units) registered in the deceased's name, along with any mortgages or charges.

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Bank Accounts

We obtain information on bank accounts held with Spanish financial institutions using official legal channels. We identify balances, fixed-term deposits, savings accounts and any joint accounts held at the date of death.

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Vehicles

We search the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) vehicle registry to identify all cars, motorbikes, boats or other vehicles registered in the deceased's name in Spain, along with any outstanding finance agreements.

📊

Investments & Pensions

We identify shares, investment funds, bonds and pension plans held with Spanish financial institutions or companies. These must be valued at the date of death and included in the inheritance declaration.

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Business Interests

If the deceased was a shareholder or partner in a Spanish company, we search the Registro Mercantil (Companies Registry) to confirm their stake and obtain the valuation needed for the inheritance tax return.

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Life Insurance

We search the Spanish Insurance Policy Registry (Registro de Contratos de Seguros de Cobertura de Fallecimiento) to identify any life insurance policies that named the deceased as policyholder and that may pay out to the heirs.

The asset inventory

What We Deliver After the Asset Search

Once all searches are complete, we prepare a full Inventory of the Estate (inventario de bienes y derechos) which lists:

Every asset, with its official description and registration reference
The value at date of death for each asset (using the method required by the Spanish tax authority)
Any debts and charges (mortgages, loans, outstanding taxes) that reduce the net estate value
The net taxable base for each heir

This inventory is used both for the Deed of Acceptance at the notary and for the inheritance tax return filed with the grancanaria tax authority.

      Property valuation in Playa del Inglés: The Spanish tax authority uses the valor de referencia catastral (reference cadastral value) as a minimum taxable value for property since 2022. We ensure that the correct minimum value is applied and advise on whether challenging an excessive valuation is worthwhile.
    

Finding All Assets in a Spanish Estate in Playa del Inglés