International Probate
Key contact
If you own assets internationally, we offer services to put your Wills in place. Depending on your circumstances, we can draft a Will to cover your worldwide estate, or we can draft separate Wills to cover assets in different locations.
Owning assets in more than one jurisdiction can lead to conflicts of law which are not always immediately obvious. For this reason we will carefully analyse your circumstances and provide you with comprehensive advice on this before we draft your Wills.
When someone with assets in different countries dies, probate will also usually need to be obtained in each country where the assets are situated. If you are resident in the UK but have assets abroad, it will be necessary to go through the separate procedures in each country to release the assets to your beneficiaries.
How We Can Help
The authority granted to an executor, administrator or beneficiary in one country may not be automatically recognised in another country. For example, if a grant of probate has been issued outside of the UK, this authority may not be enough on its own to deal with bank accounts, investments or land situated in the UK. Before the UK assets can be administered, the foreign grant may need to be “resealed” or formally recognised by a probate registry in the UK.
We can help with the following:
- structuring your Wills, so they are completely valid in all jurisdictions;
- carry out all your wishes, in so far as is possible in overseas jurisdictions;
- deliver these results in a tax efficient way.
