📄 Autumn Leaves and Lasting Legacies: The Importance of a Will in Portugal

Happy Sunday, you beautiful people! 🌞

Autumn didn’t wait for an invitation this year. It’s here in full swing. The trees are decorated in that perfect mix of warm and green tones, that tipping point before the last evidence of summer is gone. And yes, I’m learning (the damp way) not to leave my washing out overnight because I was too lazy to take it down.

I have such a nostalgic love for Portugal in autumn. This is when we first arrived nearly four years ago, full of excitement and nerves. One of the first things I realized was that I had no idea how to shop here. Everything looked different, everything smelled different, and nothing was where I'd expect it to be.

In the spirit of that “newbie confusion,” I’m launching a series of short surveys over the next few weeks, and I’d love you to take part! Together, we can create a fun, practical guide for newcomers to Portugal. Each week I’ll share the results from the previous week so we can compare notes.

I'm also surprised at how many things on our to-do list haven't gotten done yet, and if you're in that boat, consider this your sign to tick another item off that list. If setting up a Will in Portugal is one of them, you're in luck. Today’s issue has a fantastic article on why and how to get your Will sorted here.

Here’s what’s on the menu today:

Let’s dive in, shall we?

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Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

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Almourol Castle: Portugal's Legendary Templar Fortress Surrounded by Water

Rising dramatically from a granite islet in the middle of the Tagus River near Vila Nova da Barquinha, Almourol Castle stands as one of Portugal's most iconic and mysterious medieval fortresses. This storybook castle, accessible only by boat, was rebuilt in 1171 by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal, as part of a crucial defensive line during the Christian Reconquista. The fortress features classic Templar architecture with tall stone walls and nine defensive towers, all carefully restored to preserve its medieval character. Local legends add to its mystique, claiming that spirits of star-crossed lovers haunt the castle's tower, especially on St. John's Night. Now a national heritage site, Almourol offers visitors boat tours from nearby Tancos village, making it a captivating destination where Portugal's medieval history, Templar legacy, and romantic folklore come together in one of the country's most photogenic settings.

Latin America Market (26-28 September, Cascais): an annual festival held at FIARTIL, featuring around 80 stands with crafts, gastronomy, music, and dance from various Latin American countries. The event highlights the cultures and entrepreneurship of Latin American migrant communities in Portugal, making it a vibrant and multicultural celebration enjoyed by families and visitors each September.

Oktoberfest at Vila Vita Biergarten (24 September–5 October, Porches, Algarve): A Bavarian-style beer festival complete with oompah band, Erdinger beer, German food, and lively atmosphere—closed on 29–30 September.

Chefs on Fire (20-21 September, Cascais): Michelin-level chefs cook over fire under the pines alongside live music and great wine. A must for food lovers.

Autumn Beer Festival (27 September, Vale do Peso, Portalegre, Alentejo): Celebrate beer and the season with local offerings in a scenic rural setting.

DHB Costa da Caparica (19-21 September, Lisbon): transforming the beachside venue Irmão into a three-day house music paradise. Set right on the sands with the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, DHB features a stellar lineup of international DJs—like Jamie Jones, Dennis Cruz, and Francis Mercier—spinning deep house, tech house, and afro house from day into night.

BloomFEST (19–21 September, Aeródromo Vilar de Luz, Porto): an electronic music festival at an airport runway venue for deep house and melodic techno fans.

Columbus Festival (18-21 September, Porto Santo, Madeira): a lively historical celebration held each September on Porto Santo island, where Christopher Columbus once lived. The event features colorful medieval parades, a replica of Columbus's ship arriving on the beach, and a vibrant marketplace with music, costumes, and reenactments that bring the spirit of the Age of Discoveries dramatically to life.

Feira Medieval de Palmela (26-28 September, Palmela): a spectacular medieval fair held every September at Palmela Castle, just south of Lisbon, transforming the town’s historic center into a vibrant medieval scene. The event features knights’ tournaments, lively parades, falconry, themed markets, music, dance, and authentic medieval food, all set inside and around the castle’s ancient walls.

Remember your first week in Portugal? The excitement mixed with that low-level panic of "wait, where do I even buy basic things here?" The joy of discovery paired with the frustration of spending two hours looking for something that should take five minutes to find?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Every week, I get messages from new arrivals asking the same questions we all asked: Where do I find X? Why is Y so different here? How do I do Z the Portuguese way?

We've all figured it out by now. We've cracked the code. We know which Continente has the best international section, where to find proper tea bags, and why Portuguese toilet paper is different.

So here's my crazy idea: What if we could bottle all that hard-earned wisdom and hand it to the next wave of expats arriving in Portugal?

For the next 8 weeks, I'm running a super quick survey (seriously, 2 minutes max). Each week, we'll dive into a different aspect of the Portugal adjustment experience - from the practical nightmares to the unexpected discoveries.

And every weekend, I'll share the most interesting, hilarious, and helpful responses from the week before with the community.

Week by week, we're building something special together:

Look, I'll be honest with you. I'm researching this because I want to create something that could genuinely help future expats. Maybe it's curated arrival packages, maybe it's a comprehensive guide, maybe it's something completely different that emerges from your insights.

But more than that, I think there's real value in us collectively acknowledging and laughing about this shared experience. Every expat has felt that moment of standing in Pingo Doce, staring at unfamiliar brands, wondering if they're about to accidentally buy fabric softener instead of shampoo.

Your stories matter. Your struggles were real. Your solutions are brilliant.

Ready to turn our collective expat trauma into community wisdom? This week's survey takes 90 seconds and asks about those products that nearly sent you into a Portuguese retail spiral.

You absolute legend! 🙌 Thank you for taking 2 minutes to share your Portugal reality with us.

Now go treat yourself to a proper cup of tea (or whatever Portuguese substitute you've reluctantly learned to love). 🫖

P.S. If this survey sparked any other "oh my god, remember when..." Portugal moments, hit reply and tell me about them. Some stories are too good not to share!

There's always something better to do than think about serious matters like death and taxes, but unfortunately, just because you've traded your home country for this little slice of paradise with its cheap wine and peaceful living doesn't mean life's realities disappear. Before the winter cold and Christmas festivities arrive, let's tackle one crucial piece of paperwork that might still be lingering on your to-do list.

With help from FRESH Portugal, we'll explore why you need a Will in Portugal, how inheritance laws actually work here, and the steps to get it sorted.

A huge thank you to the FRESH Portugal team for bringing us such invaluable, real-world guidance and helping expats make confident, informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

So let's hand things over to today's experts and take action on this essential step in our expat journey.

As autumn settles in across Portugal, life takes on a different rhythm. The summer crowds thin, the evenings grow cooler, and there’s a natural shift toward reflection and preparation. Whether you’re walking through leaf-strewn parks in Lisbon, savoring a glass of red wine in the Douro, or enjoying quieter weekends at home in the Algarve, this season invites us to look ahead.

For many expats, autumn is the perfect time to tackle the bigger picture, the plans that get pushed aside during busier months. At the top of that list? Estate planning, especially understanding how Wills and inheritance laws work in Portugal.

To help you get ahead, we’ve created this clear, practical guide to what you need to know. It’s not a fun subject, but it’s a vital one, particularly if you want to protect your assets and your loved ones from unnecessary tax, stress, and confusion.

Many expats living in or owning property in Portugal haven’t yet realized that if they die without a Portuguese Will, their assets might be distributed under Portuguese inheritance law, not the law of their home country.

This can:

And for those using trusts, common in Anglo-American systems, the challenges multiply: Portugal does not recognize trusts, which could result in additional taxation or legal uncertainty.

If you want control over who inherits your Portuguese assets, you need a local Will.

Portugal follows forced heirship rules. That means certain heirs, like your spouse, children, and parents, automatically receive a fixed portion of your estate, whether or not you state otherwise.

Here’s how the law prioritizes heirs:

You can only freely distribute the “available share” of your estate. The rest is reserved for these legitimate heirs.

If your estate plan includes friends, stepchildren, charities, or even a new partner not formally recognized under Portuguese law, you must document your wishes clearly in a valid Will.

Foreign nationals can choose to apply the law of their nationality instead of Portuguese succession rules, but only if this is explicitly stated in a Will drafted under Portuguese law.

This clause must follow strict legal language and be formally recorded in Portugal. Without it, you risk having your estate handled under Portuguese default rules, regardless of what your foreign Will says.

Good news: Portugal has no inheritance tax in the traditional sense. But…

It does have a Stamp Duty Tax, applied at:

But beware: assets placed in a trust or passed to non-direct heirs may lose this exemption and become fully taxable.

Autumn naturally brings a shift in pace. With summer travels behind us and routines settling back in, many expats find themselves:

It’s the perfect season to pause and put the right legal protections in place. A Portuguese Will ensures:

And by naming someone as a legal guardian for your children, you’re ensuring they will be better protected.

Yes, but they must be carefully coordinated so one doesn’t cancel out the other. It’s essential to work with a lawyer who is familiar with cross-border estate planning.

Not at all. Basic Wills, including the opt-out clause, are available for a small, fixed fee. Notary costs are typically around €160–200 + VAT, plus the need for two witnesses and a translator if you don’t speak Portuguese.

Using only your home country Will can cause delays, translation costs, and legal complications. It’s usually cheaper and far more efficient to make a separate Portuguese Will for your assets located here.

A Portuguese Will may not be the most exciting part of your autumn, but it may be one of the most valuable. Getting your estate plan in place is one of the most important gifts you can give your loved ones (and your future self).

Fresh Portugal works with expats across the country to draft clear, tax-efficient, and legally robust Wills that stand up across borders. Whether you’re relocating, investing in property, or simply settling into the slower rhythm of the season, let this be your reminder: autumn is the perfect time to get your long-term plans in order, before the holidays arrive and life gets busier again.

With thanks to our collaborators at Fresh Portugal for their valuable insights and contributions to this article.

_{The tax team at Fresh Portugal is a highly skilled and experienced group, with deep expertise in both domestic and international tax law. Specializing in tax consulting, litigation, and planning, the team focuses on areas such as digital nomad taxation, crypto, and expat tax services. Additionally, the team has a strong background in private client services, tax compliance, delivering comprehensive and innovative solutions.}

Email: [email protected]

This week’s language lesson is a fun and practical one: a quick dive into basic home office vocabulary in Portuguese. The video walks you through everyday items you probably have around your desk, from pens and printers to chairs and chargers. Since we’re all about the administration game this week, it’s the perfect time to boost your office lingo. Boa sorte!

Thanks for reading! 💌

Hustle on!

Angelique🧞‍♀️

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