Wills are essential for expats in the UAE

Making your Will is an important decision and even more so when you are living in another country with different inheritance laws.  As an expat in Dubai or Abu Dhabi you will have even more hurdles to overcome in getting the right Will for your particular circumstances as an expatriate.

You are probably on here looking for the best option for writing or updating your Will. You might be price concious or researching the field. You could use one of the many DIY Will options, but unless you get it absolutely right, a DIY Will could leave the people you want to benefit most with more problems than the Will solves.

Why not think of writing your Will as a kind of insurance that will protect your family’s assets.  It is an investment in a special legal document that spells out how you want to distribute your estate to your loved ones.

There is an even bigger question mark over DIY Wills whilst living abroad – just check the terms and conditions and you will probably see that it is not for people living outside the country and no responsibilty is accepted for your Will being of any use. In other words a DIY Will is highly unlikely to be safe or suitable for use by an expat in Dubai.

Protect your children

Most parents don’t realise that if their children are orphaned and there is no Guardian appointed, Social Services will take responsibility for the children until a court decides what happens to them. Naming guardians in your Will guarantees that your children will be looked after in the way you wish. See Guardians: Fast Facts for more information.

Protect your assets

Inheritance Tax may be payable if your estate exceeds a certain value.  This can be a complex legal area, and sometimes particular problems are caused because Inheritance Tax is payable before the beneficiaries have access to the legacy.  Dubai Expatriate Wills can give you expert guidance to help ensure that your assets are protected for your loved ones.