Important: For general educational information only. This is not legal, tax or financial advice, and reading it does not create a professional-client relationship. Laws and procedures vary by jurisdiction and can change. Consult a qualified professional in each place relevant to you and your assets before making decisions.
Start with an inventory, not a blank form
Make a private list of the places where you own property, hold accounts or keep important records. Include assets and obligations that might be easy to miss: an overseas bank account, a jointly held home, insurance, digital services or an existing will. This list is a preparation aid, not a legal document.
Note where original documents are held, who can be contacted about them and whether copies or translations may be needed. Keep account credentials and identity records in a secure place rather than putting them into a document you plan to circulate.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- Where are the original signed documents?
- Who would know about property or accounts in another country?
- Are there existing nominations or arrangements outside a will?
Make the first professional conversation useful
Bring your inventory, family circumstances and questions to someone qualified in each relevant place. Rules about signing, witnesses, beneficiaries and the administration of an estate are not uniform. For example, the UK government's will guidance explicitly points readers to different rules for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A move, marriage, separation, new dependent or purchase of property abroad is a useful prompt to revisit the inventory and seek updated advice. An old plan may no longer reflect the full picture.
Make the records findable without oversharing
Tell an appropriate trusted person how to locate the information when it is needed. That is different from giving everyone unrestricted access today. A clear document index and the contact details of advisers can be more useful than distributing sensitive copies through email.
If your affairs cross borders, ask how the people dealing with your estate would obtain records from each institution. The goal of this exercise is to identify gaps and make an informed conversation easier, not to decide what the law requires.
Official starting points
Check these sources for updates; their guidance may have changed since our last source check.
This guide cannot determine which rules apply to you. Speak with a qualified professional in each jurisdiction relevant to your family and assets.