Families today discover that a relative who lived or worked in Israel left behind various types of investments, including corporate shares, mutual funds, pension-related investments, bank-issued securities, or management accounts in Israeli investment houses. Because these assets are often held electronically or recorded in older financial systems, they can remain untouched for years.

When relatives pass away, their investments do not disappear; they remain legally protected under Israeli law and can be claimed by their heirs, no matter where those heirs now live.

However, claiming these investments can be complicated. The records may be outdated, the institutions may have merged, or the investments may require detailed verification before they can be released. Heirs abroad often do not know which institution to contact, how to obtain proof of heirship, or how to retrieve older accounts and statements.

Despite these challenges, our firm can easily resolve them for you; it is entirely possible to recover shares and investment assets once the proper process is followed, giving heirs confidence in reclaiming their rightful inheritance.

Our experienced Israeli attorney, Rahav D. Aharoni, will explain how heirs can identify, locate, and claim shares or investments left by relatives in Israel, helping you feel more in control of the process.

Why Investments and Shares Become Unclaimed in Israel

Investment accounts often remain unclaimed for reasons similar to dormant bank accounts, but the situation with shares and securities can be even more complex. Some factors that lead to unclaimed investments include:

• Immigration and relocation – People moving abroad may leave investment portfolios or shares behind.
• Employer stock programs – Employees in Israeli companies may have earned shares through work-related plans.
• Old investment certificates – Prior generations relied on paper certificates that were later replaced by digital systems.
• Bank and investment house mergers – Accounts may have been absorbed by larger institutions, causing disconnection from original records.
• Death of the original investor – Surviving relatives often did not know investments existed.
• Failure to update contact details – Institutions may have lost the ability to reach investors, especially those who moved abroad.

As a result, many investments remain inactive but fully recoverable, reassuring heirs that their efforts can lead to successful recovery under Israeli law.

Which Types of Israeli Investments Can Be Claimed?

Israel has a diverse financial system, and investments can be held in many different forms. Heirs may be entitled to recover:

• Corporate shares listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE)
• Mutual funds managed by Israeli investment houses
• Government bonds purchased through investment plans
• Pension-related investment portfolios held with management companies
• Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs)are offered through Israeli employers
• Portfolio management accounts with Israeli banks
• Investment trusts and older financial instruments

Even when the original institution no longer exists, successor companies or regulatory bodies maintain records that allow heirs to claim the investments.

How to Know if Your Relative Had Shares or Investments

Finding whether a relative held investments can be challenging, especially if little documentation remains. However, sure signs may indicate that investments exist:

• The relative worked for a publicly traded Israeli company
• Old statements from investment houses or banks exist among family records
• There are references to “shares,” “funds,” or “portfolios” in correspondence
• The relative had pension funds with investment components
• You find purchase receipts for government bonds or savings plans
• The relative opened salary accounts at major banks known for offering investment products

Even in the absence of physical evidence, many families still discover investments through our Israeli lawyer.

Below, we list 12 ways to know if your relative had shares or investments in Israel.

1. Search for Investment Clues in Family Documents

The best way to begin locating possible investments is to examine any family documents or personal records left behind. Investments often show up in documents such as:

• Bank statements
• Investment account summaries
• Employer stock plan notifications
• Old stock certificates
• Pension fund statements
• Annual investment tax reports (Form 867 in Israel)

Even outdated records can provide important clues, such as account numbers, institution names, or references to specific securities. These clues can then be used to perform targeted searches with financial institutions.

2. Search the Ministry of Justice Unclaimed Property Database

The Israeli Ministry of Justice maintains an online database for unclaimed or dormant financial assets. Although this database primarily lists bank accounts and specific financial instruments, it can also contain investment-related entries. Searching the database is a helpful first step because it may reveal:

• Unclaimed brokerage accounts
• Dormant investment funds
• Unredeemed bonds
• Inactive bank-managed portfolios

If the database shows results for your relative, this indicates that formal inheritance procedures will be required to retrieve the assets.

3. Identify Which Financial Institution May Hold the Investments

Banks, investment houses, or pension management companies generally hold investment assets in Israel. Each institution maintains its own databases and procedures for identifying dormant investments.

Major Israeli institutions include:

• Bank Hapoalim
• Bank Leumi
• Discount Bank
• Mizrahi-Tefahot Bank
• Harel
• Clal
• Meitav Dash
• Psagot
• Excellence

Because institutions have merged over time, a lawyer may need to trace which modern institution inherited the records of older banks or investment companies.

4. Conduct a Professional Search Through an Israeli Lawyer

Public searches can only go so far. To fully identify investment accounts, corporate shares, or dormant securities, a professional search is often necessary. Our Israeli lawyers can access information that is not publicly available, including:

• Archived bank investment portfolios
• Historical pension account records
• Employee stock program databases
• Records from investment houses that changed ownership
• Transfer statements showing the movement of securities

Professional searches often reveal investments that heirs never suspected. For example, relatives who worked for major employers may have accumulated shares or investments automatically through workplace plans. Others invested small sums long ago that grew substantially over time.

5. Collect the Information Needed to Claim Investments

Before investments can be claimed, specific documentation and personal details are required. Gathering this information early helps ensure a smoother process.

Important items include:

• Full legal name of the deceased
• Names under which they may have opened accounts (including Hebrew variations)
• Date of birth and date of death
• Old Israeli ID number, if one existed
• Any documents referencing investments or financial institutions
• Family documents that prove relationships between heirs and the deceased

If certain documents are missing, lawyers can often reconstruct information from financial institutions or government archives. Even a partial account number or a reference to a particular investment company can be enough to begin the search.

6. Obtaining a Succession Order or Probate Order

No investment institution in Israel will release shares, bonds, or investment funds without formal proof of heirship. This means that heirs must obtain either a succession order (if the deceased left no will) or a probate order (if a will exists). These orders are issued by the Israeli Registrar of Inheritance Affairs or the Family Court.

The lawyer handling the case prepares and submits the application, which must include certified and translated documents. The authorities require accurate proof of the relationship between the heirs and the deceased, as well as official notifications to all potential heirs. Once issued, the order serves as the legal basis for transferring shares or distributing investments. Without these orders, the investments cannot be claimed, even if clear evidence that the deceased held assets.

7. Submitting Claims to Investment Houses and Banks

Once the inheritance order is obtained, the next step is to contact the relevant investment houses, banks, or pension companies. Israeli financial institutions follow regulatory procedures to confirm the identity of heirs and release assets securely.

To submit a claim, our Israeli lawyer provides:

• The official inheritance order (succession or probate)
• Death certificate of the deceased
• A notarized and apostilled power of attorney if the heirs live abroad
• Heirs’ identification documents
• Any investment documents or evidence that supports the claim

Institutions may request additional documentation, especially if the investment is decades old, if the deceased used different names, or if the company merged with another financial institution.

8. How Israeli Institutions Verify Investments

Once a claim is submitted, banks or investment houses verify the account by searching their internal databases. For older investments, this may require retrieving archived data, pulling paper files, or cross-referencing historical digital systems. Many investments opened decades ago exist only as microfiche scans, handwritten logs, or partial computer records.

Institutions carry out:

• Identity verification of the deceased
• Verification of shareholder or unitholder registration
• Review of any accumulated dividends or interest
• Confirmation of whether securities were sold, transferred, or remain active

After verifying the account, the institution confirms the total value of the investments, including updated market prices, accrued interest, or reinvested dividends.

9. Releasing the Investments to the Heirs

Once verification is complete, the institution begins releasing investments or transferring shares. Depending on the type of asset, this may involve:

• Liquidating shares and transferring proceeds to heirs’ bank accounts
• Transferring securities to accounts designated by the heirs
• Redeeming government bonds or investment certificates
• Issuing payment for matured investments
• Transferring mutual fund units to new accounts

Heirs living abroad receive funds through international wire transfers. Israeli institutions may require additional forms for foreign transfers, including tax compliance declarations and confirmation of banking details. A lawyer ensures these requirements are met to avoid delays.

10. Tax Considerations for Inherited Investments

Israel has specific tax rules for investment income, but inheritance itself is not taxed. When heirs inherit shares or securities, they do not pay tax on the acquisition of the assets. However, when the securities are sold or redeemed, capital gains tax may apply based on the appreciation since the original purchase.

Heirs should be aware of:

• Capital gains tax on the increase in value of shares or bonds
• Withholding tax is applied by institutions when releasing proceeds
• Double taxation agreements that may reduce taxes for foreign heirs
• Reporting obligations in the heir’s country of residence

A lawyer helps ensure the correct tax treatment is applied and, if applicable, assists with the forms needed to reduce withholding tax under international treaties.

11. Claiming Investments from Defunct Companies or Merged Institutions

If the original investment company no longer exists, the claim process becomes more complex. Israel has undergone numerous mergers among financial institutions, especially in the banking and investment sectors. Fortunately, successor institutions are legally responsible for maintaining and honoring historic investment records.

Examples include:

• Investment houses absorbed during consolidations
• Banks that took over other banks’ portfolios
• Pension management companies that inherited older funds

In these cases, the lawyer identifies the successor institution, submits inquiries, and ensures that the investment records are traced through the merger history. Even investments from the 1960s or 1970s can be retrieved through this process.

12. Handling Missing or Incomplete Records

In some cases, heirs may not have complete information, or records may have been lost over time. Israeli institutions may require additional documentation to confirm ownership. Our Israeli lawyer can overcome these challenges by:

• Requesting archived regulatory filings
• Searching employer records for stock plans
• Cross-referencing pension contributions with investment allocations
• Conducting legal affidavits to confirm identity
• Tracing investment account numbers through related financial accounts

Even when documents are missing, the combination of inheritance orders, archived financial records, and professional searches often leads to successful recovery.

How Our Firm Helps Locate and Claim Investments in Israel

Aharoni Law Firm assists heirs worldwide who believe their relatives may have left behind shares, investment accounts, or other financial securities in Israel. These cases often involve complex record tracing, name variations, multiple financial institutions, and decades of financial history.

Our firm provides comprehensive assistance, including:

• Conducting investment searches with banks, pension companies, and investment houses
• Tracing historic and dormant investment records
• Preparing inheritance applications for probate or succession orders
• Submitting claims to banks and investment institutions
• Redeeming shares, bonds, and mutual funds
• Coordinating international transfers of proceeds

With a notarized and apostilled power of attorney, heirs can complete the entire process from abroad, without traveling to Israel. Our firm ensures that all legal, financial, and procedural requirements are fulfilled efficiently.

Clients work with us remotely or in person, receive clear guidance, and remain informed at every stage. Our focus is on accuracy, discretion, and results-oriented.

Contact Our Firm Now

FAQ

Can shares or investments be claimed decades after the owner died?

Yes. Israeli law allows heirs to claim investment assets even many decades after the death of the original owner, provided the required documents and proof of heirship are submitted.

What if several heirs exist?

All heirs must be included in the inheritance order. Shares and investments are then divided according to the percentages listed in order.

What if we do not know which institution holds the investments?

We can identify the correct bank, investment house, or successor institution, even with minimal information.

Do heirs need to travel to Israel?

No. Our Israeli lawyer can handle all steps remotely.

Can heirs receive funds in foreign bank accounts?

Yes. Israeli institutions can send funds through international wire transfers once all legal requirements are met.

Contact An Experienced Israeli Attorney at Our Firm

If your relative may have left behind shares, investments, or securities in Israel, our firm can help you identify and retrieve them. To speak with our attorney experienced in Israeli financial asset recovery, call us at 888-923-0022 or schedule a free consultation using our online form. We encourage you to read our client testimonials.