The letter from skifteretten — the Danish probate court — arrives while the grief is still new, it is in Danish, and words like "dødsbo" (estate of the deceased) can make it sound like a lawsuit. It is not. The letter is an invitation to a conversation: the court needs to settle how the estate will be handled, and you received it for one specific reason. Here is what happens, what is useful to have ready — and what you do NOT need to be able to answer.
What has happened since the letter was sent?
When someone dies in Denmark, the doctor issues a death certificate (within two working days), and the probate court in the deceased's court district is notified automatically. The court then writes to the contact person from the burial request to arrange a meeting about the estate. At the same time, something important happens in the background: the deceased's bank accounts are frozen, and valuables and belongings may not be sold or moved without the court's approval. That is not distrust — it is the mechanism that ensures the estate is settled correctly, cf. domstol.dk on reporting a death (in Danish).
The process — step by step
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Death certificate | The doctor reports the death — within two working days. |
| 2. The letter to you | The probate court writes to the contact person via Digital Post within about one month (a paper letter if you are exempt from Digital Post). |
| 3. The meeting | Usually a phone call about how the estate will be handled. Others besides the contact person are welcome to join. |
| 4. Settlement form | The court decides how the estate can or must be processed — and in a number of cases the heirs choose themselves (see below). |
| 5. Proklama | In most estates a notice (proklama) is published in the gazette Statstidende: creditors then have 8 weeks to register claims via Skifteportalen. |
The checklist before the meeting — this is what speeds things up
You do not need to have every answer. But the court itself points out that processing can start faster the more of this you have an overview of:
1. The heirs' names — and ideally addresses and CPR numbers
2. The funeral expenses (keep receipts)
3. Any will (testamente) and/or marriage contract (ægtepagt) — if you know of a will, bring it or be able to describe its contents
4. Bank and securities statements — including for a surviving spouse
5. The value of e.g. a car, a cooperative flat (andelsbolig) or an allotment
6. Information about debts
Good to know: the deceased's pension schemes are generally NOT part of the estate — pension companies normally pay out directly to whoever is named as beneficiary in the pension agreement.
Who chooses the settlement form? (The most misunderstood part)
You will often see the explanation "the probate court chooses the settlement form for you" — but the picture is more nuanced, and the nuance matters for what to expect from the meeting: the court decides based on the rules in chapters 12-16 of the Danish Estate Administration Act (dødsboskifteloven). If the estate has no significant value, the court can decide it is settled as boudlæg (the estate is usually handed directly to the closest relatives). The court can also decide the estate must be handled by a professional administrator (bobestyrer) — normally a lawyer specialising in estates. But in other cases the heirs can choose the settlement form themselves, cf. domstol.dk on estate settlement. The six forms are: private administration (privat skifte) · simplified private administration · boudlæg · undivided possession for the spouse (uskiftet bo) · spousal transfer (ægtefælleudlæg) · administrator settlement (bobestyrerskifte) — the overview is at domstol.dk/skifteformer.
The thresholds are adjusted every year, and it is the date of death that determines which limits apply. For deaths in 2026: boudlæg up to DKK 55,000 · estate tax allowance DKK 392,300 (DKK 784,600 if the deceased held the estate in undivided possession) · spousal transfer/supplementary inheritance DKK 950,000.
The proklama: why creditors have to hurry — not you
In most estates (except the smallest, settled as boudlæg) the court publishes a proklama in Statstidende. It is a notice calling on people or companies the deceased owed money to. From publication, creditors have 8 weeks to register their claims via the probate portal Skifteportalen — otherwise they generally lose the right to money from the estate (a few exceptions: debts to the Danish Tax Agency and debts secured by a registered charge). As the contact person you can see the registered claims on Skifteportalen (minskiftesag.dk) once the estate has been released to you. If the estate turns out to be insolvent, there is an emergency exit — the "udbakning" rule — where the estate can be handed over to administrator settlement; act quickly and ask the court if that becomes relevant.
Where this page stops
This is the letter and meeting logistics: why you got the letter, what happens when, and what to have ready. What is RIGHT for your family — choosing the settlement form, inheritance law, estate tax, insolvent estates — is exactly what the meeting with the court, and possibly a lawyer specialising in estates, is for; the estate pays for that legal help before the inheritance is distributed. Sofia helps you understand the letter itself and what it asks for — in plain language.
Got a letter from skifteretten you are not sure about?
Take a photo of the letter (feel free to cover CPR numbers). Sofia explains in plain English what the court is asking for and what the meeting is about — so you can join it prepared. Free to try, no login.
Explain my letterFrequently asked questions
Why is the probate court writing to me?
Because you are listed as the contact person (kontaktperson) on the request for the burial or cremation. The probate court (skifteretten) in the district where the deceased lived is notified of the death automatically and then writes to the contact person — by Digital Post, within about one month of the death — to arrange a meeting about how the estate will be handled. If you are exempt from Digital Post, the letter arrives on paper. Receiving the letter does not mean you can or must decide anything on behalf of the other heirs — that requires a power of attorney (fuldmagt) from each heir.
Do I need to have all the answers for the meeting?
No. The first meeting is usually held as a phone call, and others are welcome to take part alongside the contact person. But the better your overview of the deceased's family and finances — the heirs' names, the funeral expenses, any will (testamente) or marriage contract (ægtepagt), bank statements, the value of a car or home, and any debts — the sooner the estate processing can begin. If you know of a will, bring it or be able to describe its contents.
Who decides how the estate is settled?
The probate court decides how the estate can or must be processed, following chapters 12-16 of the Danish Estate Administration Act (dødsboskifteloven). If the estate has no significant value, the court can decide it is settled as boudlæg (handed over, usually to the closest relatives). The court can also decide that a professional administrator (bobestyrer) — normally a lawyer specialising in estates — must handle it. In other cases, the heirs can choose the settlement form themselves, for example private administration (privat skifte). That is exactly what the meeting clarifies.
What is a proklama?
A notice published in the official gazette Statstidende, calling on anyone the deceased owed money to. From publication, creditors have eight weeks to register their claims via the Danish probate portal (Skifteportalen) — if they miss the deadline, they generally lose the right to money from the estate (with a few exceptions, such as debts to the Danish Tax Agency and debts secured by a registered charge). As the contact person you can see the registered claims on Skifteportalen once the estate has been released to you.
The letter itself lands in Digital Post — the yearly rhythm of the big official letters is mapped in the Danish letter calendar. And if what you received is about debt collection rather than an estate, see the guide to the Danish payment order (betalingspåkrav). If there is a house or a flat in the estate, the letters about its public property assessment (ejendomsvurdering) are explained in the property assessment letter guide.