With the inheritance law reform „Inheritance law new”, a legal “exceptional inheritance law” for the life partner has been introduced for the first time. This only becomes effective if no legal heir is entitled and the life partner lived in the same household for at least the three years before his/her death. If there was no common household, substantial health-related or profession-related reasons must have existed. The proof of a “typical connectedness for life partners” must be provided. As from January 2017, also a legal preference legacy for the life partner is included, which is based on the preference legacy of the martial partners. The life partner is entitled to it if the prerequisites mentioned above are fulfilled and the testator was neither married nor lived in a registered partnership at the time of death. Compared to the preference legacy of a marital partner it is however limited and only entitles the life partner the right of residence in the shared apartment for one year.