Because Pope Benedict XVI declined the inheritance of his brother, “the estate of Georg Ratzinger goes to the Holy See,” Johannes Hofmann, dean of St. Johann Collegiate Church, told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

That instruction was stated in the postscript of Msgr. Georg Ratzinger’s will, according to Crux’s recent article entitled “Retired pope declines his late brother’s inheritance.”

The house in Regensburg, Germany, where Msgr. Ratzinger lived belongs to St. Johann’s, the report said.

His estate consisted mainly of compositions, sheet music by the Regensburg Domspatzen choir, a small library and family photos.

Bild am Sonntag, the largest-selling German national Sunday newspaper published in Berlin, anonymously quoted a confidant of retired Pope Benedict as saying he “will certainly still receive one or two mementos.”

However, the source said the retired pope carried the memories of his brother “in his heart,” so the 93-year-old “no longer needs to accumulate material things.”  Thus, the disclaimer of inheritance.

The 96-year-old Msgr. Ratzinger passed away in Regensburg on July 1.

The retired pope had visited his older brother in mid-June, after the latter’s health had deteriorated.

Msgr. Ratzinger was retired Pope Benedict’s last close relative. He ran the Regensburg Domspatzen choir from 1964 until 1994.

A person can refuse an inheritance. It is known as "disclaiming" it. If you’re thinking about disclaiming an inheritance, you should understand the impact of your refusal or "disclaimer," and the appropriate process to make certain that it’s considered qualified under federal and state law.

For taxes, disclaiming assets is the same as owning them. You can also disclaim only a portion of the inherited assets.

Ask an experienced estate planning attorney for assistance.  If you would like to discuss  your options with an estate planning attorney in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, or Naples, Florida, schedule a complimentary call with Edward J. Welch at Welch Law, PLLC.

Reference: Crux (Nov. 2, 2020) “Retired pope declines his late brother’s inheritance”