Legal Definitions - benefit of inventory

The benefit of inventory is a principle in civil law that limits an heir's liability for estate debts to the value of what they inherit, if they choose to file an inventory of the estate's assets. This means that the heir is not responsible for paying off any debts that exceed the value of the inherited assets.

For example, if someone inherits a house worth $200,000 and the estate has debts totaling $150,000, the heir's liability would be limited to the value of the house. They would not be responsible for paying off the remaining $50,000 in debt.

This principle is designed to protect heirs from being burdened with excessive debt and to ensure that creditors are only able to collect what is owed to them from the assets of the estate.