Multinational tax / estate planning

[Alex K]

Various legacies have given us assets in the US and in Europe -- and of course in the UK. How can we find solicitors able to advise us on tax avoidance as we make our wills?

I know: Jammy b*stards. (Yes. Not our doing, though, we just chose our aunts and uncles well.) Tax-dodgers. (No. Avoiders.)

All that out of the way, has any Forum reader had good help in a similar situation? If so, what was the help? Or -- how did you go about finding that help?

[seemster]

Hi Alex, I am definitely no expert but I have recently rewritten my will so can share a little of what I learned from the solicitor re: foreign assets -

A UK will would cover all foreign assets, worldwide, and automatically include them in your estate, ie treat them in the same way as other assets for IHT purposes - the only exception is in the case of immovable assets ie land or property, in which case you need to have a will in any country where those assets are held, and to then reference that / those wills in your UK will.

I'm sure others will have more pertinent advice but basically I think you could do worse than speak to any decent solicitor, as they should all be able to advise on at least the basics here.

[RWellman]

Russell Cooke is a good firm for this sort of work

http://www.russell-cooke.co.uk/

[Alex K]

Thanks to Seemster / RWellman. Much appreciated. The assets DO include real property, not just financial instruments. A bit of a slog ahead -- but with your help, I'm forewarned... and I trust forearmed.

[RWellman]

Good luck, my parents used Russell Cooke for their wills and i have used them for work and have been impressed by their professionalism, their advice, their customer service and their reasonable fees.