Membership remains unchanged until the estate is distributed. To handle membership-related matters, a copy of the estate inventory deed and any will, including information about its service and acceptance, is required. All the parties to the estate must be indicated in the estate inventory deed. Alternatively, a certification of the parties to the estate issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and a copy of such a part of the estate inventory deed that adequately identifies the parties to the estate can be accepted.
The parties jointly decide on wood trade, forest management work and investments, and they jointly sign any documents. The parties can also choose to authorise one person to manage the estate’s matters by power of attorney. The power of attorney must include the date of birth and contact information of the authorised person. Matters pertaining to the death estate can also be handled electronically in Metsäverkko by power of attorney.
When the estate is distributed, the investments in participation shares can either be transferred to a new membership or returned to the bank account, in which case the estate’s membership in Metsäliitto Cooperative ceases. The following are required to terminate the estate’s membership and transfer the investments to a new or existing membership:
- A copy of the estate inventory deed and any will, including information about its service and acceptance.
- If required, a power of attorney for the person managing the estate’s matters, unless one has already been provided.
- A deed of estate distribution, if one has been made, or another document (deed of gift, will, deed of sale) indicating the recipient(s) of the investments in Metsäliitto Cooperative’s participation shares.
- A signed change form for termination or transfer.
- The membership that will receive the transfer (if the recipient is not yet a member, they can apply for membership using the membership form).
Simplified examples of a few common situations:
Example 1:
- The deceased had a membership.
- The deceased left a widow and children.
- The deceased had no will.
- The widow has marital right to the spouse’s property, so the widow is party to the estate until the distribution of the estate has been completed.
- To handle membership matters, a copy of the estate inventory deed is required. Alternatively, a certification of the parties to the estate issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and a copy of such a part of the estate inventory deed that adequately identifies the parties to the estate can be accepted.
- Before the distribution, both the widow’s and the children’s signatures are required for the management of membership matters, as both the widow and the children are parties to the estate. The parties can also choose to authorise one person – or several persons – to manage the estate’s matters by power of attorney.
Example 2:
- One of the shareholders of a jointly owned forest has died.
- The deceased left two children and a general beneficiary under a will.
- To handle membership-related matters, a copy of the estate inventory deed and the will, including information about its service and acceptance, is required. Alternatively, a certification of the parties to the estate issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and a copy of such a part of the estate inventory deed that adequately identifies the parties to the estate can be accepted.
- To handle membership matters, the signature of the other joint owner and the signatures of all the parties to the estate are required. Alternatively, one or more persons can be authorised to manage matters related to the estate and/or joint ownership by power of attorney.
- Please note that a general beneficiary under a will is a party to the estate, while a recipient of a bequest (legacy) is not.
Example 3:
- The death estate has a membership.
- One of the parties to the estate has died.
- Membership is to be terminated.
- A copy of the estate inventory deed and any will, including information about its service and acceptance, is required for the original member. Alternatively, a certification of the parties to the estate issued by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and a copy of such a part of the estate inventory deed that adequately identifies the parties to the estate can be accepted.
- The above documents are also required for the new death estate.
- To handle membership matters, the signatures of all the parties, including those to the new death estate, are required. The parties can also choose to authorise one person – or several persons – to manage the estate’s matters by power of attorney.
- Please note that a general beneficiary under a will is a party to the estate, while a recipient of a bequest (legacy) is not.
Before the estate inventory
In the case of individuals, we will supply a register transcript with the balance on the date of death for the estate inventory. If the forest estate is co-owned (e.g. by spouses or forest partnerships), a party to the death estate can request a register transcript from our customer service by phone, +358 10 7770, or by email, jasenpalvelut@metsagroup.com. The membership number, the deceased’s personal identity code, and the date of death must be provided. The register transcript will be delivered by post to the address indicated in the membership information.
If the register transcript is exceptionally requested to be delivered to the home address or email of a party to the death estate, please contact our customer service and also submit a report on family relationships (e.g. a certificate from the Population Information System).
If you need an estate appraisal for the estate inventory, please contact our forest specialist. You can find the contact information of our forest specialists here.