Inter vivos

“Inter vivos” is a Latin phrase that means “between the living” in English. This term is often used in legal and financial contexts to refer to transactions or arrangements that take place during a person’s lifetime, as opposed to those that take effect after their death.

For example, inter vivos gifts are gifts given from one living person to another. This is different from gifts made through a will or inheritance, which only take effect after the giver’s death.

Understanding whether a transfer or arrangement is “inter vivos” or not can be important for tax and legal purposes, especially in estate planning. Transactions and gifts made inter vivos are usually subject to different rules and regulations than those made through a will or testamentary disposition.