Frequently asked questions about easing the management of the affairs of a deceaced relative

Following the death of a loved one, the family are often faced by a complex, long and difficult process. As things stand, it is not possible to manage the affairs of a deceased relative’s estate through digital services provided by public authorities. For example, an estate may have to deliver copies of the estate inventory to multiple different parties. This programme will change this by making the estate’s information digitally available and by providing digital services.

The current approach is also burdensome and expensive for public authorities and other service providers. Information relating to the management of an estate’s affairs is currently not transmitted seamlessly in a digital and structured format. This programme will improve the efficiency of public authorities and the mobility of information between different parties.

The goal of the programme is to streamline and simplify the management of the affairs of the estate of a deceased relative, to digitalise relevant documents and services, and make official processes more efficient.

New services that the programme will establish include a register of the parties to an estate, online services for estates, an electronic estate inventory, a pre-completed inheritance tax return and possibly a register of wills. 

These services will be supported by using Suomi.fi authorisations to handle authorisations relating to the estate’s affairs and Suomi.fi messages for communication with the parties to the estate.

The new online services will also make it easier to use paper-based services, which will remain an option in the future.

Managing the affairs of a deceased relative’s estate in the difficult time following their death will be made easier. Services will be simpler to use, the number of times people have to contact the authorities will be reduced and the process as a whole will be quicker. Dealing with different public authorities will be easier, because the authorities will be able to automatically access information, for example, on the parties to an estate.

The online service for estates will be available regardless of where people live, the opening hours of public authorities or access to transportation. The register of the parties to an estate will contain information that the parties will be able to use to supplement the inheritance tax return and estate inventory. This will make it easier to draw up documents and improve the quality of information.

The digitalisation and automation of the necessary documents and the reduced need for customer service and manual work will improve the efficiency of public authorities. Official processes will be quicker, and the number of manual processes will be reduced. The exchange of information and the interoperability of information management between public authorities will be improved.

The Ministry of Finance is responsible for the implementation and funding of the programme and for the overall coordination of the development projects in the programme.

The Digital and Population Data Services Agency is responsible for implementing the register of parties to an estate and the possible register of wills. 

The Finnish Tax Administration is responsible for implementing the online service for estates, the digital estate inventory and the pre-completed inheritance tax return.

The legislative drafting group will work with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice to draft the legislative amendments required to implement the changes and use the necessary information. 

The programme’s steering group provides guidance and draws up the necessary policies concerning the implementation of the programme and advancing the projects that are part of the programme.

Achieving the goals of the programme will require both amendments to current legislation and new legislation. The programme’s legislative drafting group has been appointed for a term running until 31 October 2025. The group is tasked with drafting a report on the legislative amendments that would allow the implementation of the necessary online services. 

A draft government proposal will be drawn up based on the proposal of the legislative drafting group. The draft government proposal will be circulated for comments though the Lausuntopalvelu.fi service towards the end of 2025. According to the preliminary schedule, the government proposal will be submitted to Parliament in the spring of 2026, and the legislation will enter into force at the beginning of 2027.

Existing estates will continue to manage their affairs in the same way as they do now. Comprehensive instructions on managing the affairs of a deceased relative’s estate are provided in the ‘Death of a close family member’ guide available on the Suomi.fi website.

The changes being planned will not affect estates formed before 2027. Online services for estates will be based on information obtained from the register of parties to an estate. Information on estates will only begin to be stored in the register on new estates that are formed after the register is established.

You can get up-to-date information on the progress of development projects by signing up for a stakeholder newsletter and participating in information sessions for stakeholders. The newsletter is published by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and Finnish Tax Administration. 

• Subscribe to the newsletter (in Finnish).

Information on the projects is also available on the websites and other communications channels of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and Finnish Tax Administration.

• Visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s project page.
• Visit the Finnish Tax Administration's project page.