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Inheritance & Probate

Can an heir require the administrator of an Israeli estate to provide a financial accounting?

Yes. An estate administrator appointed under Chapter Six of the Succession Law 5725-1965 holds the estate as a fiduciary and must keep proper accounts of everything received, spent and distributed. Heirs are entitled to see those accounts, and the administrator files periodic reports with the Administrator General at the Ministry of Justice, which supervises the administration. If the administrator stalls, an heir can apply to the court or registrar that made the appointment for an order compelling an accounting within a fixed period. Persistent refusal is itself a ground to seek removal and personal liability for any loss.

An estate administrator (menahel izavon) is not the owner of the estate. The Succession Law places the assets in their hands only to collect, safeguard, pay debts and distribute to the heirs, and the appointing forum keeps supervisory control throughout. That supervision runs through the Administrator General (Apotropos HaKlali), a Ministry of Justice office that reviews the inventory of assets filed at the start and the accounts filed as the administration proceeds. Israeli courts treat the duty to account as a core fiduciary obligation rather than a courtesy. An administrator who cannot explain where estate money went carries the burden of justifying the gap.

Distance is the usual problem for an heir abroad. A relative living in Israel is appointed administrator of the estate, communication thins out, and the overseas heirs hear nothing for a year or more. Travelling to Israel is not the fix. A written demand from an Israeli lawyer, followed if necessary by a motion in the existing estate file, usually produces accounts within weeks, and the file itself records what has already been submitted. Ask for bank statements, rental receipts and vouchers for individual payments rather than a summary spreadsheet, because a summary prepared by the administrator proves nothing on its own.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Succession Law 5725-1965, Chapter Six (administration of estates); Succession Regulations 5758-1998
  • Competent authority: Administrator General (Apotropos HaKlali), Ministry of Justice, together with the Family Court (Beit Mishpat LeInyanei Mishpacha) or Registrar of Inheritance Affairs that made the appointment
  • What the accounts must show: opening inventory of assets, every receipt and payment, fees drawn by the administrator, and a closing distribution statement
  • Administrator's fee: set by the court, typically 1% to 4% of gross estate value, and open to challenge inside the accounting itself
  • Timeline: courts commonly give a defaulting administrator 30 to 45 days to file accounts before a removal application is entertained
  • Court fee: a motion in an existing estate file costs approximately NIS 300 (2026), far less than opening a fresh claim

From the full guide: Israeli Estate Administrator: A Complete Guide for Foreign Heirs

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Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy

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