Deed of Gift for Money in English – Gift Deed under Swedish Law
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Facts verified: October 1, 2026 · Swedish law
An English "Gift Deed" can be practical when the recipient, the bank, or an advisor uses English. However, the language of the document does not automatically change the applicable law, and a Swedish gift clause does not guarantee the same legal effect in another country.
What is a Gift Deed for money?
A Gift Deed is an English-language deed of gift. For a monetary gift, the document primarily functions as proof of the intention to gift and as a record of any conditions. The actual monetary gift is perfected according to the rules of the Gift Act regarding transfer/possession, not merely by the signing of a document.
When is an English version useful?
- When the recipient does not understand Swedish.
- When a foreign bank or advisor needs to understand the background of the transaction.
- When the recipient lives abroad and the document needs to be presented in various contexts.
- When the family wants a clear English description of an advance on inheritance or separate property.
Under anti-money laundering regulations, a bank may request information about the purpose of the transaction and the origin of the funds. A Gift Deed can then be one of several supporting documents, alongside, for example, bank statements. There is no general Swedish rule stating that an English gift deed is always accepted or required by a foreign bank.
What information should the document contain?
| Part | Example in English |
|---|---|
| Giver | Donor – name, identity, and address |
| Recipient | Donee – name, identity, and address |
| Amount | For example 100,000 SEK or 10,000 EUR – use the actual currency |
| Intent to gift | That the amount is given as a gift without obligation of repayment or consideration |
| Transfer | Date and preferably a reference to the bank payment |
| Inheritance | Whether the gift shall or shall not be an advance on inheritance |
| Separate property | Whether the gift from a third party shall be the recipient's separate property |
Must the gift be stated in SEK?
No. There is no general requirement that a monetary gift must be expressed in Swedish kronor for Swedish law to be relevant. State the currency that is actually being transferred. For international payments, it can also be practical to document the date of transfer and, if needed for future evidence, the value the parties based the transaction on.
Must two witnesses sign?
No, not for a standard monetary gift under Swedish law. In an individual case, witnesses can contribute evidence regarding what took place, but they are not a general requirement for validity and should not be presented as a mandatory step.
Advance on inheritance
If the giver is a parent and the recipient is a forced heir, the main rule in Chapter 6, Section 1 of the Inheritance Code is that the gift shall be deducted as an advance on inheritance, unless otherwise prescribed or if the circumstances show a different intention.
It may therefore state, for example, that the gift shall be considered an advance on inheritance or shall not be considered an advance on inheritance. The important thing is that only the intended version remains in the signed document.
Further reading: Advance on inheritance – how gifts to children affect the inheritance.
Separate property
According to Chapter 7, Section 2 of the Marriage Code, a giver who is someone other than the recipient's spouse may stipulate that the gift shall be the recipient's separate property. If the yield (interest/returns) should also be separate property, this should be explicitly stated, as otherwise, as a main rule, the yield is considered marital property.
If the giver and the recipient are spouses, a prenuptial agreement is normally used to make property separate; a standard gift condition from one spouse to the other does not provide the same effect.
What law applies when the recipient lives abroad?
One cannot assume that wording based on Swedish law will have an identical effect in the recipient's home country. Family law, inheritance law, gift tax, and reporting rules can be matters of private international law and local regulations.
The bank's KYC/AML questions
Swedish banks and other businesses must have sufficient "know your customer" (KYC) documentation and monitor transactions based on risk. For unusual or larger transfers, the bank may therefore ask about the relationship between the parties, the origin of the money, and the purpose of the payment.
There are threshold rules for customer due diligence in the Anti-Money Laundering Act, but it is incorrect to translate them into a general rule that "all gifts over a certain amount are reported." Reporting to the Financial Police is linked to suspected money laundering or terrorist financing.
Checklist before signing
- Use correct Donor/Donee identity.
- State the exact amount and actual currency.
- State that the gift shall not be repaid.
- Match the document to the bank transfer.
- Decide if the gift shall be an advance on inheritance.
- Decide if the gift shall be separate property and what applies to the yield.
- Remove unused options before signing.
- Check the recipient country's rules separately for cross-border gifts.
Mallbutiken's Gift Deed for Money (English) – Gift Deed Template costs 49 SEK and is intended as an English-language document under Swedish law.
