OLN

Family law

婚姻與離婚如何影響香港的遺囑與繼承

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婚姻和離婚是人生中的重要大事。在籌備婚禮的喜悅或經歷離婚的困擾時，人們往往忽略法律在這些變化對遺產分配所產生的不同影響。

離世時無立遺囑的影響

如果你在香港離世時沒有定立遺囑，你的遺產將按照無遺囑繼承法進行分配。你的遺產將依次序分配給以下親屬：配偶和子女、父母、親生兄弟姊妹、同父異母或同母異父的兄弟姊妹、祖父母、叔叔和姑姑，最後是政府。分配的方式和比例會根據個人的具體情況而有所不同。

如果你有配偶和子女，你遺產的首50萬港元以及所有個人財物將歸你配偶所有。剩餘的遺產將按以下比例分配：50%給配偶，25%給每位在世的子女。

婚姻對遺產分配的影響

除非遺囑是在你結婚前所訂立，否則之前所定立的所有遺囑將在婚姻後自動失效。若你在結婚前或簽署結婚文件後未定立遺囑，遺產分配將依上述無遺囑繼承法進行安排。

離婚對遺產分配的影響

離婚程序，尤其涉及子女或其中一方或雙方配偶擁有大量資產時，可能持續多年，才能拿到最終判決。

在不幸的情況下，如果你在離婚程序結束之前離世，並且沒有遺囑，你的遺產將根據無遺囑繼承法進行分配，等於你的配偶會獲得你遺產的一大部分。

如果你在開始離婚程序前已立下改遺囑，但不幸在離婚结束之前離世，你的遺產將按你的遺囑條款分配，這通常意味著你的配偶會獲得您的遺產。

我們不容忽視在結婚時或離婚程序開始之前製定或重新制定遺囑的重要性。

第三方對遺產分配的影響

當配偶離世時，無論是否有遺囑，婚外伴侶和非婚生子女通常無權從遺產中獲得份額。然而，他們可以根據《遺產（家庭和受扶養人供養）條例》（第481章）向法庭申請獲得遺產分配，尤其是當他們在已故配偶在生時曾獲得經濟支持。他们也可以直接對現有的遺囑提出質疑。只要拥有婚外伴侶的一方仍然在世，就可以採取措施來防止這種情況發生。 如果你希望就如何管理您的財產進行保密討論，或者您的父母正面臨或考慮離婚、或婚姻中涉及第三方，請聯繫我們爭議合夥人及長者法律部負責人趙君宜律師 （電郵： eunice.chiu@oln-law.com；電話 +852 2182 1885（WhatsApp和 微信：+852 9169 4356）。

Oldham, Li & Nie Excels Once Again in 2025 Chambers’ Greater China Region Guide

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Oldham, Li & Nie (OLN) has been recognised in the 2025 edition of the Chambers’ Greater China Region Guide for its expertise in Corporate/M&A and Family/Matrimonial law.

The guide also highlights two of our lawyers as leading professionals in the region:

Client feedback includes:

  • “They gave us practical advice promptly and always gave us fee estimates in advance” 
  • “Both partner and associate have a thorough understanding of complex intertwined agreements and manage against these, providing invaluable knowledge to our business management”
  • “Oldham, Li & Nie are very commercial and take pride in working to tight deadlines and producing their work on time”
  • “Stephen is very hard-working and commercial”

The Chambers Greater China Region Guide conducts annual evaluations of law firms and lawyers across the Greater China Region, assessing factors such as technical legal skills, professionalism, client service, and business acumen.

For more details on OLN’s rankings, visit our profile in the 2025 Chambers Greater China Region Guide.

Oldham, Li & Nie is Ranked in Chambers Greater China Region 2024 Guide

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The newly released 2024 edition of Chambers Greater China Region Guide acknowledged Oldham, Li & Nie in Corporate/M&A and Family/Matrimonial practice areas. Additionally, the Guide has spotlighted four of our lawyers as leading figures in the region’s legal landscape.

Chambers Greater China Region 2024 ranked firm Oldham, Li & Nie

Comments from clients include:

  • “Oldham, Li & Nie are extremely professional and reliable. Their lawyers are worldly, knowledgeable and respectful.”
  • “They are able to give practical advice by considering the circumstances of our company and our company’s primary commercial objectives.”
  • “They are highly professional and well organised. They are very efficient and speedy with their work.”

The four Odham, Li & Nie lawyers recognized among the premier lawyers in the Greater China region are:

To view the OLN’s full rankings, visit our profile on 2024 Chambers Greater China Region.

About Chambers Greater China Region Guide

Chambers and Partners interview every year thousands of lawyers, clients and third-party experts to evaluate law firms’ and lawyers’ reputation and expertise in all four jurisdictions of the Greater China Region: PRC, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The Chambers Greater China Region rankings assess various factors, including technical legal skills, professionalism, customer service, and business acumen of the leading lawyers across the region.

Benchmark Litigation Once Again Recognises Oldham, Li & Nie

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We are delighted to share that three of our practice areas have been recognised in the recently released Benchmark Litigation 2023 rankings. Oldham, Li & Nie is once again among the top Family & Matrimonial, Commercial & Transactions and Private Client law firms in Hong Kong.

Our three practice areas are ranked as follows:

  • Commercial and Transactions (domestic firms) – Tier 3
  • Family and Matrimonial – Tier 3
  • Private Client (domestic firms) – Recommended

As one of our referees mentioned, Oldham, Li & Nie is “concise, prompt, honest and provides accurate information for a client to make a decision”

In its analysis, Benchmark Litigation notes “Oldham Li & Nie is active in commercial and transaction-related disputes. The firm is also known for its work in IP and family and probate disputes. The firm frequently acts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, serial entrepreneurs and corporates. Key names in the firm include commercial litigation partner Richard Healy and family and probate specialist Stephen Peaker.

Commercial dispute cases include representing Natural Seasoning International (HK) in a shareholder dispute for breach of agreement; acting for a prominent Hong Kong distressed asset fund in committal proceedings brought by a claimant in relation to an injunction in aid of the arbitration and a receivership order; and representing two minority shareholders in seeking and rectification of an agreed shareholding in a group of companies located in Hong Kong, PRC and the US”.

Oldham, Li & Nie’s ranking on Benchmark Litigation website.

About Benchmark Litigation

Benchmark Litigation, the definitive guide to the world’s leading litigation firms and lawyers, is the only publication on the market to focus exclusively on dispute resolution.

Since its inception in 2008, the Benchmark brand has grown dramatically and garnered industry-wide accolades as the definitive hub for in-depth analysis of the players shaping the dynamic practice of litigation.

The Asia-Pacific guide officially launched in 2018, with a dedicated team located in Hong Kong and actively researching the market on the ground.