Cross-border estate exposure
Where does your estate cross a border, and what does that raise?
Living in Thailand with assets and family across countries means more than one set of succession and tax rules can apply. This is a plain read on where yours overlap.
Answer on the right. It flags what to look into, not what to do.
Your situation
UK domicile status
Assets held in Thailand?
Assets in another country?
Wills in place
Beneficiaries
What your answers raise
- UK-domiciled individuals are within scope of UK inheritance tax on their worldwide estate, not just UK assets, even after years living in Thailand. Domicile is sticky and is not the same as tax residence.
- Thai-situated assets (property, accounts) fall under Thai succession law, which differs from UK probate. A UK will alone may not deal cleanly with them.
- A will covering only some jurisdictions can leave gaps, or worse, a later will can accidentally revoke an earlier one. Cross-border wills need to be drafted to sit together.
- Beneficiaries in different countries face different tax on what they receive, and timing and currency add friction. Worth planning around rather than leaving to chance.
- The aim is a coherent plan across the jurisdictions involved, set out before it is needed, with every cost shown in writing.
A guide, not advice or a legal opinion. Domicile and inheritance tax are technical and individual; confirm your own position before acting.
Get a tailored read
Send your answers to Richard for a short, no-obligation note on what they mean for your situation.
