If I should die

[somo]

Not sure where to post this but will try here. There used to be a legal section but it seems to have disappeared
Like many older ex pats I am concerned that when I die my wife can be sent whatever money I have in my UK bank account.
If anyone has been through the process it would be great to have the benefit of your experience.
I can do a will here but how would my wife be able to get the funds transferred to her account here.
There is also the question of a death certificate which I think would need to be sent to the relevant person in the UK etc etc.

Does the British embassy offer any services. Whenever I have sought their help they have been totally uninterested.
Any advice please

[FritsSikkink]

why don't you get your money to a shared account over here now?

[saakura]

Or give it all to her just now while still in good health, if you are much older.

[Jip99]

Do not rely on the British embassy....... at all.

 

 

 

Have you made a Will?

 

 

Does your wife know what to do when you die ?

 

 

The process is straight forward but complicated for a Thai widow to understand, even harder for her to communicate with the 'right people' in the UK.

[somo]

For exchange rate reasons I want to keep some money in the UK + I do some biz there that needs a UK bank with funds. I am not about to pop of any minute but want to make sure she can access those funds.

[somo]

13 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

Do not rely on the British embassy....... at all.

 

 

 

Have you made a Will?

 

 

Does your wife know what to do when you die ?

 

 

The process is straight forward but complicated for a Thai widow to understand, even harder for her to communicate with the 'right people' in the UK.

That's the thing. I don't know what she should do when I die! She has no idea and doesn't really want to talk about it feeling to do so would be tempting fate. I can do a will no problem but how is that then executed in the UK. She has no idea how to get and submit death certificates etc

Please enlighten me on the straightforward process and I will see if I can set it up. I have a brother and sister in UK but they are at a loss too.

[jeab1980]

Leave just enough in UK bank transfer the rest into a joint account here. Leave a binding will done profesionaly by a real solicitor not a do it yourself job. 

Contact your UK bank talk to them about what she will need to do get them to send a detailed email to you about all the steps she needs to take.  I have also done this with my pension provider. Then get them translated properly into Thai. And leave them with the will.

Edited July 25, 2017 by jeab1980

[Jip99]

1 hour ago, somo said:

That's the thing. I don't know what she should do when I die! She has no idea and doesn't really want to talk about it feeling to do so would be tempting fate. I can do a will no problem but how is that then executed in the UK. She has no idea how to get and submit death certificates etc

Please enlighten me on the straightforward process and I will see if I can set it up. I have a brother and sister in UK but they are at a loss too.

 

1 hour ago, somo said:

That's the thing. I don't know what she should do when I die! She has no idea and doesn't really want to talk about it feeling to do so would be tempting fate. I can do a will no problem but how is that then executed in the UK. She has no idea how to get and submit death certificates etc

Please enlighten me on the straightforward process and I will see if I can set it up. I have a brother and sister in UK but they are at a loss too.

 

 

All you you need to do is leave her a sealed envelope with instructions.

 

You simply write a Will here appointing executors of your choice - one of your siblings. Assuming that the assets are uncomplicated (i.e. Just the bank account) the Will should cost no more than 3,000 Baht.

[somo]

58 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Leave just enough in UK bank transfer the rest into a joint account here. Leave a binding will done profesionaly by a real solicitor not a do it yourself job. 

Contact your UK bank talk to them about what she will need to do get them to send a detailed email to you about all the steps she needs to take.  I have also done this with my pension provider. Then get them translated properly into Thai. And leave them with the will.

Thank you. I did talk to my bank but found it hard to get much sense out of them. I am due back in the UK early August so perhaps I will go in and see them face to face and ask how they can help.

[jeab1980]

2 minutes ago, somo said:

Thank you. I did talk to my bank but found it hard to get much sense out of them. I am due back in the UK early August so perhaps I will go in and see them face to face and ask how they can help.

I asked the question of my UK bank HSBC most obliging.now have a list of what my wife needs to do to access any money still there but if my plan works out there wont be anything but coppers in there when i pop my clogs

[somo]

5 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

I asked the question of my UK bank HSBC most obliging.now have a list of what my wife needs to do to access any money still there but if my plan works out there wont be anything but coppers in there when i pop my clogs

Thanks. If my plan works out I'll have so much dosh I won't have time to spend it all:) 

 

[jeab1980]

21 minutes ago, somo said:

Thanks. If my plan works out I'll have so much dosh I won't have time to spend it all:) 

 

When i said inly coppers thats beacuse it will all have been moved here.

[Jip99]

3 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

When i said inly coppers thats beacuse it will all have been moved here.

 

 

If you only have a Thai beneficiary there is a lot of sense in moving liquid assets from the U.K. 

[kannot]

depending who you bank with Id  tell them nothing unless you already have a UK address to use as  next thing if they think you are  living outside the Uk they will want to close the account, HSBC exempt from this.....or  used to be not sure now 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/money/uk-banking-options-narrowing-for-british-expats/

[banK]

Why not when back in the UK make a will. That will make it so much easier - all she would need is someone who is familiar with the uk system to liaise with the solicitor regarding death certificate, her bank account details etc..

That's what I have in place.

 

banK

[NancyL]

You're getting some good advice here -- to have a Thai Will for your Thai assets and a U.K. Will for your U.K. assets, perhaps with one of your siblings as the executor and your wife as the beneficiary (don't forget to name the executor as an beneficiary for a nice little gift over and above their out-of-pocket costs)  This is all very straight forward.  Be sure your Thai wife has whatever tax I.D. numbers she'll need to claim U.K. assets.  I've been involved in settling US and Australian estates, but not U.K. estates, but I know in both cases, the Thai widows needed to have U.S. or Australian tax I.D. numbers and it would have been nice if their husbands had gotten that set up for them prior to their passing.  

 

[inThailand]

Easy.

 

Make a UK will and name an executor you can trust. Give one original to the wife or at least access to it upon your demise. Yes she will need some instructions on how to proceed.

Your a good man for thinking about her and to make it easy. The whole purpose behind making a will.

[kannot]

3 hours ago, inThailand said:

Easy.

 

Make a UK will and name an executor you can trust. Give one original to the wife or at least access to it upon your demise. Yes she will need some instructions on how to proceed.

Your a good man for thinking about her and to make it easy. The whole purpose behind making a will.

he  might be a bad  man but has a  good  idea

[steven100]

Transfer all your money into your Thai bank account,  have another ATM card in an envelope with the pin number so when you cark it she will have money.

[lopburi3]

Not sure of UK but in USA most banks have a POD (pay on death) form that can be filled out.  Another option in USA is a joint account where she would have an ATM card making it very easy to withdraw funds.  Be sure she has enough funds locally to cover both your funeral expenses (which are often a bit high as a major event) and living during any legal proceedings.

 

After death would as you mention likely require death certificate and marriage proof - UK Consulate I believe still offers an option to record Thai marriage on UK books for a small fee so that might help.  Expect UK Consulate would also issue death certificate (know USA does).  Expect any after the fact recovery would involve extended wait for legal process however.

[Grusa]

Make your wife a signatory to your account. Get her an ATM card, and tell her to clean it out at a Thai ATM after you die, but before she informs anybody. And to hide the money from the investigating BiB.

On second thoughts, maybe you don't even need her to be a signatory, that could be difficult to arrange without a bank visit. Just leave a set of instructions alongwith the PIN for your card.

[Rockee]

There are English speaking lawyers here in Chiang Mai and they are the people you should be talking to.
I was advised that whatever is in my "Thai Will" should also be added to my will in Australia with my lawyer there to avoid a conflict between both wills.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Farang99]

14 hours ago, somo said:

That's the thing. I don't know what she should do when I die! She has no idea and doesn't really want to talk about it feeling to do so would be tempting fate. I can do a will no problem but how is that then executed in the UK. She has no idea how to get and submit death certificates etc

Please enlighten me on the straightforward process and I will see if I can set it up. I have a brother and sister in UK but they are at a loss too.

On a similar vein, I have two UK pensions which will provide an income for my wife when I go - but what rigmarole does she need to go through to communicate with the pension providers? Also, the funds supporting my retirement visa are in a fixed deposit account in my name, so what will she have to do to free them?

[Jip99]

25 minutes ago, Rockee said:

There are English speaking lawyers here in Chiang Mai and they are the people you should be talking to.
I was advised that whatever is in my "Thai Will" should also be added to my will in Australia with my lawyer there to avoid a conflict between both wills.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

 

There re is no conflict if you cross reference the 2 Wills I.e. one states that it relates solely to assets in Thailand and the other, assets in Australia.

 

this is quite logical as the majority of expats are likely to leave U.K. assets to children there with Thai assets going to the wife/GF.

 

With the U.K. Pensions start by getting a nomination form from your providers. You are right, a Thai widow will not have a clue where to start. Most get sorted out eventually but it is obviously a tortuous process dealing with a foreign language and the complexities of U.K. bereavement terminology.

 

 

.. as an aside, the thread title should perhaps read WHEN I DIE...... it will happen to all of us and "if" is simply a symptom of inaction...... an historic natural taboo towards talking about death. As Nancy L inferred previously, the more than be done prior to death the better. I have tried to make sure that my partner will be adequately provided for upon my demise and the process involved will be as simple as possible.

Edited July 26, 2017 by Jip99

[jeab1980]

19 minutes ago, Farang99 said:

On a similar vein, I have two UK pensions which will provide an income for my wife when I go - but what rigmarole does she need to go through to communicate with the pension providers? Also, the funds supporting my retirement visa are in a fixed deposit account in my name, so what will she have to do to free them?

Again write to them explain your wife is Thai and ask for a detailed EMAIL to be sent to you as to what she needs to do step by step. Translate email to thai and go tbrough it with her. As for fixed deposit account you mean here in Thailand?

[Rockee]

Mate, you need to talk to an English speaking lawyer. He can tell you what you must do.
The advice I received is that my Australian will must be changed to allow the validity if the Thai will and to also advise my executor on that will (My daughter) of the changes. A professional like
Lanna lawyers or similar are who I would ask.
Joe was the guy I spoke to 0849047797.
His advice on what was needed cost me a cup of coffee. The quote for the will in both English AND Thai was three thousand baht.
In matters this important I go to the experts.
And like you my partner doesn't want to talk about it. As a general rule Thais (Aside from the wealthy) don't leave wills.
But we don't want to leave them with a mess and no money if they've been good to us.
Get professional advice.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[lopburi3]

51 minutes ago, Rockee said:

There are English speaking lawyers here in Chiang Mai and they are the people you should be talking to.
I was advised that whatever is in my "Thai Will" should also be added to my will in Australia with my lawyer there to avoid a conflict between both wills.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

English speaking does not make a good lawyer or give anyone knowledge of UK laws.  Use the same due diligence here as you would at home.

[jeab1980]

Obvoiusly it could be slightly more complicated if your leaving your home country bit to a son or daughter, and tbe tahai bit to your wife.

I dont have that problem Son and Daughters in UK have already had there whack from me and all know that when i die everything left will come to my wife here. All properties and such will have been sold (almost there now 1 flat to sell then all done). All monies will be in Thailand in joint account (dont bother with the negative responses) all she will have to do is close joint account here which she knows what is needed. 

And ring my financial advisor in Bangkok to have the full residue of my pension paid to her

There is no will in UK but have a will here.

[Jip99]

4 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

Obvoiusly it could be slightly more complicated if your leaving your home country bit to a son or daughter, and tbe tahai bit to your wife.

I dont have that problem Son and Daughters in UK have already had there whack from me and all know that when i die everything left will come to my wife here. All properties and such will have been sold (almost there now 1 flat to sell then all done). All monies will be in Thailand in joint account (dont bother with the negative responses) all she will have to do is close joint account here which she knows what is needed. 

And ring my financial advisor in Bangkok to have the full residue of my pension paid to her

There is no will in UK but have a will here.

 

 

You have the the perfect situation Jeab because your assets have been liquidated - and largely distributed.

 

With bereavement payments no longer available it simply leaves the widow's pension to be claimed.

 

Many though still have property and/or other investments in their own country and require dealing with, with due consideration.

[jeab1980]

6 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

You have the the perfect situation Jeab because your assets have been liquidated - and largely distributed.

 

With bereavement payments no longer available it simply leaves the widow's pension to be claimed.

 

Many though still have property and/or other investments in their own country and require dealing with, with due consideration.

Widows pension in my case is easy as i have moved my pension off shore. My wife will get the full amount (less 2.5% tax on the amount) of what is left in my pension pot.