Establishment of usufruct on shareholdings

Authors

Abstract

Donation is a standard tool in family estate planning, with donors often reserving the usufruct so they may continue to enjoy the use and benefits of the asset. According to research conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 90% of companies in Brazil have a family-based structure, indicating that, in most cases, the business will be carried on by the heirs of the partners. In this context, the present article aims to discuss the relationship between the bare owner and the usufructuary of equity interests, analyzing Article 114 of Law No. 6,404/76, which provides that the voting rights of shares subject to usufruct, if not regulated in the instrument establishing the encumbrance, may only be exercised upon prior agreement between the owner and the usufructuary.

Indeed, the donor of equity interests may reserve only the economic usufruct, allowing them to receive the income derived from such interests, or may also reserve the political usufruct, which enables them to continue managing the company. Despite the autonomy granted by the legal system to this type of arrangement, conflicts may arise between the bare owner and the usufructuary, and this article seeks to explore potential solutions to such disputes.

Author Biography

Ana Luiza Maia Nevares, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)

Doutora e Mestre em Direito Civil pela UERJ. Professora de Direito Civil da PUC-Rio. Vice-presidente da Comissão de Estudos Constitucionais da Família do IBDFAM e Membro do IBDFAM-RJ. Membro do IBDCivil e do IAB. Advogada. 

Published

2026-06-18

How to Cite

Nevares, A. L. M. (2026). Establishment of usufruct on shareholdings. Revista Brasileira De Direito Civil, 34(4), 37–54. Retrieved from https://rbdcivil.ibdcivil.org.br/rbdc/article/view/1204