A compulsory share of the inheritance also exists in Turkey. Those entitled to a share are the spouse, children (including those born out of wedlock), and – unlike in Germany – the parents and siblings of the deceased (Article 505, paragraph 1, and Article 506 of the Civil Code). Here, too, those entitled to a share in earlier stages of inheritance exclude those entitled in later stages. Spouses and children are entitled to a share alongside each other.
Another difference from Germany is the legal nature of the compulsory share of the inheritance. In Germany, the entitled persons only receive a monetary claim. In Turkey, on the other hand, they receive a actual real interest in the estate. The compulsory share of the inheritance is calculated from the total value of the estate. As explained above, the estate only includes that portion of the assets that does not already accrue to the surviving spouse under matrimonial property law.
Descendants receive half of the estate. Each parent receives one quarter. If there is only one child, the statutory share for each child is one-third, Article 542, paragraph 1 of the Civil Code. If there are several children, the spouse receives one quarter. The children share the estate equally, Article 542, paragraph 2 of the Civil Code.