Updated on October 16, 2026
In 30 seconds
To access a deceased person’s Swiss account, the bank usually asks for a certificate of inheritance issued by the cantonal authority. If you do not know where the account is, you can ask the Swiss Banking Ombudsman to search. The deadline to renounce the inheritance is three months.
This text is part of the guide Italians in Switzerland: Legal Guide.
In this article
First of all: accept or renounce
In Switzerland, renunciation must be communicated within three months, in writing and by registered letter, to the competent authority of the deceased person’s last domicile. Anyone who takes possession of the estate’s assets or performs acts beyond simple administration loses the right to renounce. If you fear debts, you can ask for a public inventory within one month of learning of the death.
For this reason, do not withdraw from the account before you have decided.
The certificate of inheritance
The certificate says who is entitled to the inheritance. The authority of the canton issues it, and it varies from canton to canton. You need the death certificate, proof of the relationship with the deceased person (or the will) and proof that no one has renounced. Even simple cases take a few weeks. Costs vary from case to case.
If there is a will or an inheritance contract (patto successorio), the certificate is requested only after the succession has been officially opened.
If you do not know the bank
A search with the Swiss Banking Ombudsman is possible at any time for assets left without contact. You need documents proving your right. For assets without contact for 60 years or more, above 500 francs, banks publish a list on dormantaccounts.ch.
Italy: declarations and documents
The Italian heir must understand what to declare in Italy: the succession return (dichiarazione di successione) and, for accounts abroad, monitoring obligations. Deadlines and forms should be checked with a tax adviser (commercialista) or with the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) before acting.
If the deceased person had not declared everything in Switzerland, the Confederation provides a simplified back-tax procedure for heirs. It must be requested without delay and with full cooperation, and it covers the last three tax years before death. This is Swiss tax matter: you need a tax adviser in Switzerland.
The concrete steps
- Obtain the death certificate from the Swiss municipality and ask the consulate how to register it in Italy.
- Do not touch the account.
- Look for the bank and account numbers among documents, statements and mail.
- Decide: accept, renounce or inventory within the deadlines.
- Ask for the certificate of inheritance from the cantonal authority.
- Present the certificate to the bank, with the heirs’ identity documents.
- Check the obligations in Italy with a tax adviser (commercialista) and, if needed, with us for the legal part.
Frequent case · A problem that happens often
A woman from Naples discovers, after the death of her father, who lived in Bern, that he had an account at a Swiss bank. Her brother wants to withdraw the money right away and split it. No one has yet decided whether to accept the inheritance. It is not known whether there are debts. Before moving any money, the three-month deadline must be respected and the certificate obtained.
Frequent case described in general terms: names, places and details do not refer to real people or cases.
The best solution for you
Before moving money. The best path is not to touch the account and to decide whether to accept, renounce or ask for the inventory. It is usually best this way, because anyone who performs acts beyond simple administration loses the right to renounce.
After the decision. You ask the cantonal authority for the certificate of inheritance and present it to the bank with the heirs’ identity documents. It usually takes a few weeks.
If you do not know the bank or the bank does not cooperate. A search with the Swiss Banking Ombudsman is possible at any time. You need documents proving your right.
What to do right away
- Do not withdraw from the account and do not split any sums.
- Count three months for renunciation and one month for the public inventory.
- Look for the bank and account numbers among documents, statements and mail.
No path guarantees an outcome.
Learn more: Legal guides from Studio Legale Fiorentino.
How attorney Fiorentino can help you
- He can help you respect the Swiss deadlines before anyone moves the money.
- He can organize the documents for the certificate of inheritance and for the bank.
- He can handle the legal part in Italy; for taxes you need a tax adviser (commercialista).
Frequently asked questions
Does the bank give me information on the account?
As a rule it asks for the certificate of inheritance first.
How long does it take?
A few weeks, even for simple cases.
What happens if I do not renounce within three months?
The deadline is short. If it has expired or is about to expire, it is better to check your case right away with the cantonal authority or with us.
Can I search for forgotten accounts?
Yes, through the Swiss Banking Ombudsman, with documents proving your right.
Do the heirs share the costs?
It depends on the case. This also has to be checked.
Official sources
Pages of institutional websites consulted on October 16, 2026.
- ch.ch – Accepting or renouncing an inheritance – three months, one month, loss of the right to renounce (page in Italian)
- ch.ch – Certificate of inheritance – documents, timing, will (page in Italian)
- swissbanking.ch – Dormant assets – search through the Ombudsman, list at dormantaccounts.ch (in English)
- efd.admin.ch – Simplified back taxation for heirs – last three tax years, without delay (in German)
Read also
- Italians in Switzerland: Legal Guide (complete guide)
- Succession of an Italian Resident in Switzerland with Assets in Italy
- Swiss Citizenship and Dual Citizenship for Italians
The firm
The firm is based in Naples (Piazza Giovanni Bovio 22 and Via Monte di Dio 14) and works throughout Italy; the first meeting can be held by video call. To ask for a consultation: WhatsApp or phone 347 5264190.
Informational text, prepared with the help of artificial intelligence tools. It does not replace advice on a specific case.
Author: attorney Renato Giuseppe Fiorentino
Updated on October 16, 2026
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