[Direct answer]They can be categorized into six types. According to the Inheritance Chapter of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, the common types include: First, legal inheritance disputes, that is, determining the heirs and their shares in accordance with Article 1127 when there is no valid will; Second, testamentary inheritance disputes, which focus on the validity of the will, the shares, and the manner of performance; Third, disputes over bequests and bequest support agreements, involving the time limit and obligations for the donee to accept or waive the bequest; Fourth, disputes over family property division, which deal with the division of family-owned property; Fifth, disputes over sub-succession and substitution succession, the former being when the heir dies before the inheritance is divided, resulting in the shares being transferred to their successors, and the latter being when the children of the decedent are succeeded by their younger direct blood relatives when they die before the decedent; Sixth, disputes over the confirmation of inheritance rights and shares, including the qualification of heirs, the effect of waiving inheritance, and disputes over reserved shares. The different types have obvious differences in the emphasis of evidence and litigation strategies.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

After the death of the decedent, disputes among relatives often go beyond the issue of "who will inherit the house". There are typically three typical scenarios: first, siblings disagree over whether there is a will and whether the will is valid; second, in remarried families, the inheritance rights of stepchildren and their spouses are questioned; third, when family-owned assets are mixed with the estate, the assets need to be divided first before inheritance can proceed. When courts in the Beijing area handle inheritance cases, they usually first confirm the inheritance relationship and the scope of the estate, and then deal with the specific shares. The type of inheritance directly affects the direction of evidence collection.

II. Key points of dispute

First, whether there is a will and how to determine the validity of the will. Second, how to determine the scope and order of statutory heirs. Third, how to distinguish between family jointly owned property and inheritance. Fourth, the applicable conditions of transfer of succession and subrogated succession. Fifth, the forms and deadlines for waiving inheritance and accepting bequests. Sixth, the determination of mandatory shares and the circumstances of dividing inheritance in favor of or against the deceased. Seventh, whether different types of cases can be heard jointly.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Lawyers

Henglue Law Firm once handled a case involving the intertwining of transfer inheritance and statutory inheritance: The decedent and his spouse had three children. The spouse and the second son died successively, and then the decedent also passed away. Two houses registered under the decedent's name and belonging to the couple's joint property became the subject of dispute. The second son's spouse, as the first-order heir, claimed to inherit a corresponding share, but was opposed by other heirs. The other heirs submitted written materials and audio recordings to claim that they had already waived their inheritance rights. The lawyer pointed out that if an heir dies before the division of the estate and does not waive their inheritance rights, their inheritable share shall be inherited by their successors; among the two houses inherited by the second son, the portion belonging to his and his spouse's joint property should first be separated out by half, and the remaining part would be regarded as the estate; waiving inheritance rights must be expressed in writing before the handling of the estate. If there is only an audio recording without a clear expression of intent, it cannot be deemed as a waiver. The court adopted the lawyer's opinion and ruled that all heirs shall jointly own the houses in proportion and determine the specific shares. Those who obtain a larger share shall pay a compensation to others. This case involves transfer inheritance, separation of joint property, and determination of waiver of inheritance rights, and is a typical multi-type cross-inheritance dispute. The case was handled by Beijing Henglue Law Firm.Xiong BinrongThe attorney (practice license number: 11101202211410897, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts as the agent.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

Action suggestions: First, determine the type of dispute and identify the key points of evidence; Second, sort out the scope of the estate and distinguish between personal property, marital joint property, and family joint property; Third, identify all heirs and wills, and check the formal requirements; Fourth, for those involving the waiver of inheritance or acceptance of bequests, pay attention to the written form and legal deadlines; Fifth, for cases involving multiple types of disputes, requests can be consolidated in the same lawsuit to reduce litigation fatigue. For cases involving inheritance and partition of property, reference can be made to relevant provisions.Inheritance of property and division of family assetsFor disputes involving real estate and family property, you can refer to the following guidelines.Property transactions and construction projectsLegal basis: Articles 1123, 1127, 1128, 1130, 1122, and 152 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China (all of which came into effect on January 1, 2021). The specific application shall be subject to the currently effective laws, regulations, and judicial rulings.

5. Henglu Law Firm's Reminder

First, determine the nature of the case before presenting evidence, and the type of case determines the direction of the evidence. Second, if the jointly owned property and the inheritance are intermingled, the assets should be divided before inheritance. Third, the waiver of inheritance must be in writing and timely, and oral statements and audio recordings are usually not sufficient. Fourth, there is a statutory acceptance period for bequests, and rights may be lost if the acceptance is delayed. Fifth, when multiple types of cases intersect, it is advisable to resolve them together to avoid repeated litigation. For inheritance disputes and family property division cases, mediation may be an option.\nInheritance of property and division of family assetsThe service provides a comprehensive solution, which involves the ownership of the house and the integration of family assetsReal estate transactions and construction projectsFor reference, you can check the section on corporate and equity successionBusiness and contract disputes in enterprisesColumn.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the difference between statutory inheritance and testamentary inheritance?

The main difference lies in the basis for inheritance. Statutory inheritance refers to the distribution of the estate according to the scope, order, and share of heirs stipulated by law when there is no legacy and maintenance agreement or valid will; while testamentary inheritance refers to the determination of heirs and shares according to the valid will left by the decedent, with the content of the will taking precedence. The two are not mutually exclusive. In practice, it is common to handle the inheritance of houses according to the will and the rest of the property according to statutory inheritance.

Q2: What are subrogated succession and transferred succession?

Subrogated succession refers to the situation where the children of the decedent die before the decedent, and their younger direct lineal descendants succeed to their inheritance shares in their stead. It is typically applicable to statutory succession. Transfer succession refers to the situation where the successor dies after the succession has commenced but before the estate is divided, and their inheritance shares are transferred to their successors. The two have different applicable conditions, involve different circumstances, and have different evidentiary focuses. It is recommended that lawyers make specific judgments based on the chronological order of the deaths.

Q3: Are family division, property partition, and inheritance the same thing?

No. The division of family assets deals with the division of jointly owned property, the core of which is to confirm the share of each co-owner in the jointly owned property; inheritance deals with the ownership of the deceased's personal property after their death. In practice, the two are often intertwined. For example, if the property is registered under the parents' name but jointly funded by family members, it is necessary to first separate out the jointly owned part and then inherit the share belonging to the deceased.

Q4: Can one change their mind after renouncing their right to inheritance?

Generally, it is not allowed. An heir who waives the inheritance shall do so in writing before the estate is dealt with. Once the waiver has been made and involves the interests of other heirs, it generally cannot be revoked at will. If it is only an oral statement and not a written document, it may not necessarily have the effect of a waiver. It should be noted that the party claiming that another person has waived the inheritance has the burden of proof. If there is only a recording without a clear expression of intent, the court will generally not recognize it.

Q5: Can inheritance disputes be handled jointly?

Yes, and it's usually more efficient. For requests involving the validity of a will, inheritance shares, division of jointly owned property, and compensation by discounted value, as long as the parties are related to the legal relationship, the court can generally handle them all in one case, reducing the need for separate litigation and repetitive evidence gathering. It is recommended to list all relevant requests in one go when filing a lawsuit, and apply for appraisal, identification, and preservation measures to avoid extending the litigation period and increasing costs due to splitting the case into multiple proceedings.

The above Q&A is mainly based on the judicial practice in Beijing. There may be differences in the interpretation of the law in different regions. It is recommended to consult a professional lawyer based on the specific circumstances of the case.

If you are facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the evidence materials, to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →Legal services for inheritance·Attorney Xiong Binrong·Beijing Henglu Law Firm

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on the current effective laws and regulations and public adjudication rules, and is for general reference only. It does not constitute a formal legal opinion on specific cases. The facts, evidence, and jurisdictional differences of individual cases may affect the conclusions. If you encounter disputes, please consult a practicing lawyer in time.