My Thai wife wants to make a bank account in Thailand (in her name), If she suddenly dies, will I be able to get the money back?

Seriously, what do you think?

And you're worried about that !!

It depends what her will states.

Question to the mods: is this subforum the right place for such a question?

Of course Thailand has inheritance laws which I am not an expert for.

So the usual questions would come up: does she have children (step or with you)?

What other relatives are there?

Is there a will?

Open joint account or have a power of attorney form with you as the designatee included in her account information at the bank.

Money in her account would be hers. My understanding of division would be (untested and just my best guess)

50% paid to surviving spouse based on marriage joint ownership.

Other 50% split among decedents and believe spouse would be included in that division.

Edit: appears poster is asking about doing this while both live outside of Thailand - not sure how this might effect settlement.

It goes to whoever she leaves it to in her will. If she dies intestate then Thai law comes into play. If she has family the chances are you would get 50% if your marriage is registered in Thailand.

If your marriage is not registered you would have to go through the process of doing so, which means more time and cost.

As above:

1) If her name only + a legally valid Thai will then it goes to whoever is specified in the will

2) If her name only + no will then you as a legit spouse end up splitting her estate according to the Thai rules for statutory heirs. broadly you get half and the remainder will go thru a long list of relatives right down to cousins/uncles and so on to find anyone or more person to split the other half with. i.e if no parents/kids > brothers/sisters, if none of them then slowly thru a list of more and more remote relatives

3) if joint names + a legally valid Thai will then your half goes to you and her half to whoever is specified in the will

4) if joint names + no will, your half to you and her half split like (2)

BTW If the will wasn't a Thai will i.e done in a different country such as say UK, then it would become difficult to enforce in practice as Thai people here could contest it and have a very good chance of winning.

She will of course,give you an ATM card and password for the account prior to her death-right....

Lefty

She will of course,give you an ATM card and password for the account prior to her death-right....

Lefty

Never knew the wife's ATM pin number but guessed it any way. After she died I simply withdrew everything over the space of a few weeks. The only people the money would have gone to was my son and myself so rather than going through the courts and doing it totally above board, my son and I decided this was a much better option.

She will of course,give you an ATM card and password for the account prior to her death-right....

Lefty

Never knew the wife's ATM pin number but guessed it any way. After she died I simply withdrew everything over the space of a few weeks. The only people the money would have gone to was my son and myself so rather than going through the courts and doing it totally above board, my son and I decided this was a much better option.

It's hardly good advice to steal your wife's money after her death and hope that you don't get caught. Regardless of whether you would inherit it or not it's fraud.

After her death it's not her money. It belongs to her estate.

Don't you have her pin numbers,my wife has mine and I have hers, and we have joint accounts in the UK,trust its great

She will of course,give you an ATM card and password for the account prior to her death-right....

Lefty

Never knew the wife's ATM pin number but guessed it any way. After she died I simply withdrew everything over the space of a few weeks. The only people the money would have gone to was my son and myself so rather than going through the courts and doing it totally above board, my son and I decided this was a much better option.

It's hardly good advice to steal your wife's money after her death and hope that you don't get caught. Regardless of whether you would inherit it or not it's fraud.

No its not. It's our money ,hers and mine we are married and love and trust each other

You might after a lot of hassle and "cannots" but a Will is key.

She will of course,give you an ATM card and password for the account prior to her death-right....

Lefty

Never knew the wife's ATM pin number but guessed it any way. After she died I simply withdrew everything over the space of a few weeks. The only people the money would have gone to was my son and myself so rather than going through the courts and doing it totally above board, my son and I decided this was a much better option.

It's hardly good advice to steal your wife's money after her death and hope that you don't get caught. Regardless of whether you would inherit it or not it's fraud.

Not disputing the illegality of the act, but can you provide one shred of evidence to show where a spouse has EVER been sued for fraud ANYWHERE, when they are the beneficiary of the estate ?