Living In The Uk-should You Die?

[slippery when wet]

I have just heard this and seeking confirmation.

A friend of mine read in a newspaper when returning from Thailand recently that if you are married to a Thai wife who does not hold a Uk passport and living in the UK and were you to die for whatever reason then she would only be entitled to 55 thousand pounds of your assets and anything above this amount would be taxed by the government at 40%.

The fact that she is your wife is irrelevant, the governing factor on this appears to be that she is a non uk passport holder.

Can anyone confirm this

Thanks....slippery

[GuestHouse]

I can confirm that is total B0ll0cks.

[Thaicoon]

I have just heard this and seeking confirmation.

A friend of mine read in a newspaper when returning from Thailand recently that if you are married to a Thai wife who does not hold a Uk passport and living in the UK and were you to die for whatever reason then she would only be entitled to 55 thousand pounds of your assets and anything above this amount would be taxed by the government at 40%.

The fact that she is your wife is irrelevant, the governing factor on this appears to be that she is a non uk passport holder.

Can anyone confirm this

Thanks....slippery

Anything is possible with all the complete p r a t s running the country,

[englishoak]

Guesthouse is correct it is total <deleted>. If you r married to a thai it is recognised by the UK government....... as with all deaths with no wills the estate passes to the next of kin......... inheritance tax is not payable by a spouse and therefore the wife would get everything tax free.....

The only problem is mabe if the marraige is not official in which case she would get 0 . other complications arise if no will has been made ..... not sure what

[Guest endure]

MAKE A WILL - you know you want to. It will cost you £50-100 and then you'll know for sure your loved ones are OK. DON'T buy a make-a-will-kit. Lawyers make more money out of sorting badly drafted wills than they ever do making a proper one in the first place.

[ashacat]

Actually Slippery is on the right lines. UK law says that upon the death of a UK national (With FOREIGN national spouse) the assets above the tax threshold limit of 275k GBP (including all worldwide assets & estates) + 55k GBP Foreign spouse allowance will be taxable at 40%

ie. Anything over around 330k GBP will be taxed at 40% (regardless of country of residence)

If you are in this bracket (which many more UK Homeowners are now thanks to the rise in UK house prices) you need to get advise to avoid this tax. There are legal options available to people who will be effected in Thailand to completely avoid paying this tax.

[Dragonman]

Actually Slippery is on the right lines. UK law says that upon the death of a UK national (With FOREIGN national spouse) the assets above the tax threshold limit of 275k GBP (including all worldwide assets & estates) + 55k GBP Foreign spouse allowance will be taxable at 40%

ie. Anything over around 330k GBP will be taxed at 40% (regardless of country of residence)

If you are in this bracket (which many more UK Homeowners are now thanks to the rise in UK house prices) you need to get advise to avoid this tax. There are legal options available to people who will be effected in Thailand to completely avoid paying this tax.

Mainly correct, except that the inheritance tax exemption laws are primarily concerned with " legal domicile" not "foreign national". If the OP has anything like the above figures he should consult a tax advisor, or failing that the HM Customs and Revenue helpline. Change of domicile is possible where the thai wife intends to stay in UK indefinitely.

[GU22]

On this subject, does anyone know if a will made in the UK would be recognised in Thailand and vice versa. Or should we make wills in both countries?

[markuk]

Actually Slippery is on the right lines. UK law says that upon the death of a UK national (With FOREIGN national spouse) the assets above the tax threshold limit of 275k GBP (including all worldwide assets & estates) + 55k GBP Foreign spouse allowance will be taxable at 40%

ie. Anything over around 330k GBP will be taxed at 40% (regardless of country of residence)

If you are in this bracket (which many more UK Homeowners are now thanks to the rise in UK house prices) you need to get advise to avoid this tax. There are legal options available to people who will be effected in Thailand to completely avoid paying this tax.

There was a rumour a few years ago that the UK governement could chase your foreign assests in the event of your death as well. Dont think it ever happened though??

[astral]

On this subject, does anyone know if a will made in the UK would be recognised in Thailand and vice versa. Or should we make wills in both countries?

Yes. A foreign will can be probated in Thailand as well.

However if you have substantial assets in Thailand a second local will is advisable.

Edited March 22, 2006 by astral

[GU22]

Thanks

[meemiathai]

Actually Slippery is on the right lines. UK law says that upon the death of a UK national (With FOREIGN national spouse) the assets above the tax threshold limit of 275k GBP (including all worldwide assets & estates) + 55k GBP Foreign spouse allowance will be taxable at 40%

ie. Anything over around 330k GBP will be taxed at 40% (regardless of country of residence)

If you are in this bracket (which many more UK Homeowners are now thanks to the rise in UK house prices) you need to get advise to avoid this tax. There are legal options available to people who will be effected in Thailand to completely avoid paying this tax.

I don't believe. UK laws will never determine anything according to race! ?

[gregchambers]

Nothing to do with race would equally apply to a white Yank wife, shudder, shudder...

But if u want o be a nasty bastard move all assets offshore via remortgaging for cash etc and then the IR will go after your UK relatives for the missing tax money.

But would also suggest that any Thai gal who gets 300k plus sterling tax free if she has only been married a short time (ie not UK passport holder) would not give a toss about what happens to additional dosh.