Help for wife on passing away

[Son of Clouseau]

A morbid subject I appreciate and not sure this is the appropriate place but I'm sure the mods will direct me if it's not.

 

I am approaching 82 years of age and being well aware that the Grim Reaper cannot be far away am attempting to put things in order for my Thai wife.

 

We live in a village in Khon Kaen Province and I am the only foreigner here and no one speaks, reads or understands English apart from my wife who understands and can speak some, but reading English is a no no.   

 

My wife will need to complete some documentation upon my passing in order to claim a couple of pensions, and whilst I have prepared instructions in Thai for her to make contact with the Pension Providers and what she must send them, she will not be able to read or complete the forms.   

 

So I am looking for advice from anyone who has a similar situation please.   Being ex Military I did  think of British Legion but the nearest branch is in Korat I believe.

 

Many thanks in anticipation.

[CharlieH]

This may be better served in the local Isaan forum for local help and knowledge.

[Denim]

If you have any local friends maybe they could help. Failing that you could try to get the phone number of the British Legion in Korat you mentioned to see if they can give advice. Could also try to find out if there is a reliable and trustworthy translation office / company in Khon Kaen. If there is , go there with your wife asap and get some documents translated to see if they do a decent job and are good to deal with. If they get to know your wife beforehand it might make it easier when the time comes.

 

As for the forms she needs to fill in can you not download them now and fill them in beforehand ?

 

British embassy might have advice but they are not the most helpful people.

 

Edited November 10, 2019 by Denim

[tifino]

Why not contact them, in case they can direct you towards appropriate State Trustees? As obtaining some form of Executors will save a lot of headache, for she who is left behind.

[elwood]

If you have a UK state pension;....

I asked  DWP online about me kicking it and my wife being able to speak English well, but form-filling and understanding English speakers on a phone line would be confusing for her. (I actually have a couple of close friends who would help, but wanted to know in case they were not available).

They phoned me, told me what they would require, and said that if necessary they would provide a Thai speaker.

Very helpful lady.

 

Apologies if this isn't what you require.

[faraday]

19 minutes ago, elwood said:

If you have a UK state pension;....

I asked  DWP online about me kicking it and my wife being able to speak English well, but form-filling and understanding English speakers on a phone line would be confusing for her. (I actually have a couple of close friends who would help, but wanted to know in case they were not available).

They phoned me, told me what they would require, and said that if necessary they would provide a Thai speaker.

Very helpful lady.

 

Apologies if this isn't what you require.

In the event of death, does our UK pension go to our Thai wife?

[baansgr]

I've helped a few wives of Expats that have passed away with pensions and investments held. She really will need an English person to help. The Legion of course will help with your service pension, regardless of where the nearest branch is to you, anything else if they can't help should know of someone reliable that can...so that should be her real first port of call. 

 

I found each  instuition handled requests differently. Translated copies of Death Cert will be required. 

What's important is make sure your wife updates her address with any pension companies, as she will periodically receive proof of life forms she will need to return...usually every three years.

Bert is the chairmain in Pattaya who has assisted me befor on the death of ex servicemen and were not living there.

 

 

[elwood]

4 minutes ago, faraday said:

In the event of death, does our UK pension go to our Thai wife?

Afraid not mate, unless she has been a contributor. They stopped that some years ago, and as you know,  they are even dropping the ADI next April. Wonder how many leading countries actually lower a pension?

Good to be an old Brit eh?

[evadgib]

Thailand - Bereavement information

Veterans UK

I hope these prove useful to the OP.

[elwood]

Try this also;

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1001829-what-to-do-when-an-ex-pat-dies-in-thailand/

 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, faraday said:

In the event of death, does our UK pension go to our Thai wife?

Not anymore unless she lives and stays in UK.

[sirineou]

I have had this conversation with my sister back in the US, I have given her a list of our assets, and have asked he, that in the event of my passing that she should assist my wife in gatting all that she is entitled too, and if she so wishes liquidate and dispense.according to my wishes and law. 

[abrahamzvi]

My advice to you is to involve an English-speaking lawyer in Thailand (I believe there are some in Khon Kaen) and give him all necessary documentation and instructions. Tell your wife that in case of you passing away she should contact that lawyer. Alternatively approach your Embassy, or Consulate and ask for advice or involvement

[twix38]

So if pension providers located in UK. Contact them and do an Expression of wish form. I.e. on your death instructions on who gets spouse pension with contact details/copy Thai ID card. Inform executor. Foreign based pensions would then have information and instruction upon your death for executor to inform them and pension trustees to implement 

[Krataiboy]

On 11/10/2019 at 6:35 PM, faraday said:

In the event of death, does our UK pension go to our Thai wife?

Not for a while now. A cut-off date for applications was imposed some years back. Mine arrived at the pensions office during bank holiday and wasn't opened until a day or two after the official deadline. They used this as a reason to refuse my application, which means that when I pop my clogs my partner of 16 years is entitled to nothing. Makes one proud to be British!

[Colabamumbai]

Isaan Lawyers, Sebastian and staff speak both languages. 

[The Fat Controller]

When I married 5 years ago, I contacted my company pension scheme to advise of the event and make my wife the beneficiary of any widow's pension.

 

They required our marriage certificate, her Thai birth certificate and translations of them both, I added a copy of her Thai ID card for good measure.

 

The above would have actually needed only to be provided on my demise, but to make it much easier I have done all this in advance.

 

Once I leave this world, all she'll need to do is send the Death Certificate and her bank details and the widow's pension will be paid.

[crazykopite]

You say you are ex forces I presume you get a pension from them can I suggest you call the armed forces pensions office think you will find them very helpful . If I am correct your wife won’t receive your full pension but a proportion of it . 

[Gandtee]

On 11/10/2019 at 6:46 PM, elwood said:

Afraid not mate, unless she has been a contributor. They stopped that some years ago, and as you know,  they are even dropping the ADI next April. Wonder how many leading countries actually lower a pension?

Good to be an old Brit eh?

I thought the wife's pension was separate from the husband's pension and would continue until she popped off? What is ADI?

[kensisaket]

I am not sure how the U.S. Embassy representation is distributed throughout Thailand; however, the local rep from Ubon is Larry Edmonds (Bangkok American Embassy Citizen Liaison Vol. (CLV),  Zone 8

Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand 083-201-1062, Lcl).  I am sure he will either help you/your wife directly; or, put you in touch with someone in Khon Kaen who can.  

[Captain 776]

I hope you have formally made her the Beneficiary with the administrator of those funds or she will get nothing.

If she is the proper registered Beneficiary, all she will need is an Original Death Certificate and what ever form each fund requires.........

[AlexRich]

A very important subject matter and one that every foreigner with a family living in Thailand needs to take seriously. I’d try and find an English speaking lawyer with experience in these matters or a responsible family member at the home country who will commit to the task. Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andycoops]

18 hours ago, twix38 said:

So if pension providers located in UK. Contact them and do an Expression of wish form. I.e. on your death instructions on who gets spouse pension with contact details/copy Thai ID card. Inform executor. Foreign based pensions would then have information and instruction upon your death for executor to inform them and pension trustees to implement 

With my expression of wish, I had to supply a copy of my Thai marriage certificate translated and verified. 

I did this at one of the agency's in the Trendy building, Bangkok where the UK passport agency is based.

The pension providers confirmed this was now on my file and everything was in order should my wife want to claim 50% of my pension sum upon my demise.

[elwood]

16 hours ago, Gandtee said:

I thought the wife's pension was separate from the husband's pension and would continue until she popped off? What is ADI?

ADI is Adult Dependency Increase; this is from the DWP website;

"Adult Dependency Increase

Adult Dependency Increase is a payment for a partner who is financially dependent on you. You may be getting this as part of your State Pension.

Adult Dependency Increase closed to new applications in 2010.

From 6 April 2020 all payments will stop. If you get Adult Dependency Increase now, you’ll keep getting it until then, as long as you’re eligible."

---

 

[Jaggg88]

On 11/12/2019 at 3:20 PM, Captain 776 said:

I hope you have formally made her the Beneficiary with the administrator of those funds or she will get nothing.

If she is the proper registered Beneficiary, all she will need is an Original Death Certificate and what ever form each fund requires.........

This correct. In the UK it is called an 'Expression of Wish' so you must contact each pension provider and complete their forms. Upon your death the pension provider will require sight of your death certificate and your wife's bank account details. They will also ask for a National Insurance number for your wife but if she is not a UK citizen there are provisions in place for non citizens so make sure she knows this. I did this when a friend of mine passed away a couple of years ago. Access to his UK bank account was the most difficult as he died without a will.

[lungbing]

Jaggg88,  What provisions are there for people  without a UK NI number when they receive a widow's pension?

[elliss]

On 11/10/2019 at 6:15 PM, elwood said:

If you have a UK state pension;....

I asked  DWP online about me kicking it and my wife being able to speak English well, 

 

 Good post ,  may i ask  is  your thai wife , recognised as  your british wife .

   

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, lungbing said:

Jaggg88,  What provisions are there for people  without a UK NI number when they receive a widow's pension?

A UK HMRC tax number but my Thai wife only got that by having joint bank account while she was in the UK. 

[elwood]

12 hours ago, elliss said:

 

 Good post ,  may i ask  is  your thai wife , recognised as  your british wife .

   

She is the only wife I have...for 29 years!

Edited November 16, 2019 by elwood
remove a word.

[Gandtee]

On 11/15/2019 at 12:40 AM, Jaggg88 said:

This correct. In the UK it is called an 'Expression of Wish' so you must contact each pension provider and complete their forms. Upon your death the pension provider will require sight of your death certificate and your wife's bank account details. They will also ask for a National Insurance number for your wife but if she is not a UK citizen there are provisions in place for non citizens so make sure she knows this. I did this when a friend of mine passed away a couple of years ago. Access to his UK bank account was the most difficult as he died without a will.

If it's a joint account my legal Thai wife will have full access I suppose? Perhaps you could expand your information explaining what is the procedure for her to continue receiving her pension which is on my NI number?

Edited November 16, 2019 by Gandtee
Additional words.