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This is one that comes up a lot as people plan for their futures. There are sad stories of investors assets not being protected. Unfortunately, these cases take too long to prove or complete and during the course, the family is the one that mostly suffers during a time when they mostly need the inheritance. On a few occasions I was asked to go to court to give evidence to prove that I’d known the party involved. Of course I did and my presence helped the clients family and the court ruled in their favour. Within a few weeks, the family received the succession certificate and were able to inherit the assets and wealth.

Here are a few quick thought about inheritance and the will process in Dubai:

Should I include a Dubai property in my will?
In my opinion, absolutely yes. It’s a relatively simple procedure and is worth potentially months of hassle and time and money. Get it done locally when you first buy your property and then you won’t ever worry about protecting your asset but please do update or renew your will every 2 years or at least
inform your close ones of the assets you hold or own so that they’re fully informed in the event of any unforeseen and unfortunate circumstance. I would recommend to have the Will notarised at Dubai Courts. Why would you want to risk losing a property for a bit of time and effort?

How do I do it?
You add it to your will through the Dubai Courts. They will store your will on file (as will your lawyer) and ensure that while ever you’re still the owner, the property will remain in yours and your inheritors’ names.

Is there a cost?
We can give advice on this for free, but if you want advice from a legal expert or lawyer then I would recommend that.

What if I’m a non-resident?
This doesn’t matter. You can still have your Dubai property in your will no matter what your residency status is here.

Do I have to pay inheritance tax in Dubai?
Unlike in some countries, in UAE there is no inheritance tax or costs for inheritance other than the legal or court fees that are to be paid. In my opinion, inheritance shouldn’t be a liability or a burden for the inheritors. The intention is always to pass on our wealth to our children or other beneficiaries/inheritors so that they can live a comfortable life after us.