MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI) – A bill allowing Russian citizens to sign joint wills and will contracts has reached the State Duma, the official website of the lower house of parliament reads.

According to the bill, a joint will may be signed only by spouses. They would be able to mutually agree on the consequences of their deaths including simultaneous ones. As such, they would be able to specify details of inheritance for property belonging to each of them including their mutual property. Also, spouses would be able to disinherit some or all of their heirs without stating the reason.

A joint will lose its binding power in case of divorce or if the marriage is recognized as void.

The bill reads that each spouse has a right to at any time sign another will nullifying a joint one. In this case a notary is to notify another spouse about this change.

A will contract may be signed between a testator and any other person eligible for inheritance. Conditions of a contract, including special terms and obligations, will specify transfer of rights to a testator’s property. Several parties may observe performance of these duties including other heirs, executor, notary and other people involved in the contract.

The contract may be dissolved by a testator only if another party proves itself to be an unworthy heir or under circumstances of note. In case both a contract and a will are signed, the former takes a precedence. Persons who may have their rights violated by the contract have a right to contest it after the testator’s death.