Estate Planning for Americans in the UAE

Americans in the UAE should review whether their estate planning works across the United States, the UAE and any other country where they hold assets or have family.

An estate planning review should usually consider:

• US citizenship or green card status
• whether a US will is in place
• whether a UAE will is needed
• guardianship arrangements for children
• powers of attorney
• healthcare directives
• life insurance beneficiaries
• 401(k), IRA and Roth IRA beneficiaries
• inherited retirement account planning
• non-US spouse planning
• property ownership
• UAE bank accounts
• US brokerage accounts
• trusts
• estate tax
• inheritance tax
• local succession rules
• executor and guardian location
• whether family members can access assets
• whether the plan still works if you leave the UAE

Estate planning should not rely only on one document.

For Americans in the UAE, a will, trust, beneficiary form, retirement account nomination and life insurance nomination can all interact.

A US will may not deal cleanly with UAE assets.

A UAE will may not deal cleanly with US retirement accounts.

A beneficiary form may override what the will says.

A non-US spouse may need special planning.

The estate plan should therefore be reviewed as a full structure, not as a set of isolated documents.

Many Americans arrive in the UAE with estate planning documents prepared in the United States.

That may be a good starting point.

But it may not be the full answer.

A US-based estate plan may not properly address:

• UAE bank accounts
• UAE property
• children living in the UAE
• local guardianship arrangements
• non-US spouse planning
• local succession procedures
• assets in the UK, Europe or elsewhere
• life insurance written outside the US
• retirement account beneficiaries
• foreign trusts or foreign property
• future relocation

The opposite can also be true.

A UAE will may help with UAE assets, but it may not control US retirement accounts, US brokerage accounts, US property or beneficiary-designated assets.

That is why cross-border estate planning should coordinate documents by asset type and country.

The practical questions are:

• who makes decisions if you cannot?
• who looks after your children?
• who receives each account?
• can your spouse access cash quickly?
• do beneficiary forms match the plan?
• are assets passing under a will, trust, nomination or contract?
• would your family know what to do?

The goal is not simply to “have a will”.

The goal is to make sure the right people can act at the right time.

This page is for general information only and does not constitute personalised financial, tax, legal, investment, pension transfer, retirement, estate planning, probate, trust, guardianship, insurance, immigration, UAE residence or currency advice.

Estate planning for Americans in the UAE, wills, guardianship, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, trusts, beneficiary forms, 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, life insurance, property ownership, US estate tax, UAE succession, inheritance tax, non-US spouse planning, local law and future relocation depend on personal circumstances and may change.

US tax advice should be taken from a suitably qualified US tax adviser or CPA. UAE legal advice should be taken from suitably qualified UAE legal advisers. Legal advice may also be needed in the United States and any other country where assets or family members are located.

Financial planning should be coordinated with legal, tax, pension, insurance and estate planning advice where appropriate.

Investing involves risk. Pension, retirement account and investment values can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invest.

Currency movements can affect the value of assets, insurance, inheritances, transfers and family provision.