Our international estate planning solicitors can help you efficiently manage international assets while navigating major life events and family changes.

Thorough estate planning enables you and your family to get the most out of your assets as you experience changing circumstances such as marriages, divorces, births and deaths.

Whether you are based in the UK and own overseas assets or you’re based abroad and own UK assets, we can advise you on the most effective ways to structure your global wealth. This includes:

Minimising tax, including inheritance tax, capital gains tax and income tax
Moving wealth between countries
Moving to another country
Changing your tax domicile (your permanent home for tax purposes)
Keeping assets under family control
Making gifts of capital and capital assets
Providing income for family members around the world
Protecting assets for the future
Succession planning
Passing wealth on to family members, now and when you die.

Our team is made up of dedicated estate planning solicitors and tax experts who work with clients around the world. We also work closely with financial planning specialists to give you meticulous advice on every aspect of your estate.

We understand that estate planning involves deeply personal and sometimes religious or cultural issues. We have experience in dealing with estates created according to Sharia (Islamic) Law and forced heirship. We understand these issues are complex and sensitive and we'll give you practical advice on how to deal with these issues to ensure your family is properly looked after.

As part of one of the UK’s largest teams of Tax, Trusts & Estates solicitors, we have a wide range of expertise at our disposal. However large or complex your estate is and wherever your assets are, we can advise on the best way to plan for the future.

Call us on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online to learn more.

Experience with sharia law, forced heirship and other cultural or religious estate planning issues

Detailed knowledge of estates with multiple assets and jurisdictions

Professional and confidential service

Offices in 15 locations across the UK

For general enquiries

0370 1500 100

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Phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year

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0370 1500 100

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Alex Ruffel Partner Meet the team

International Estate Planning - More Information

- What Is Estate Planning?
- Estate planning combines legal, tax, and financial planning to help you manage and protect wealth for the future.
  
  Whether you want to preserve income for later life or provide for your family once you’re gone, estate planning can help. Our solicitors can make sure that you and your family benefit as much as possible from your wealth for years to come.
  
  Successful estate planning ensures a smooth transfer of assets while paying only as much tax as is absolutely necessary. Inheritance tax is often the focus, but capital gains tax, income tax, and Stamp Duty Land Tax are all important too.
  
  An international estate with assets or family members in different countries adds an extra layer of complexity to the planning process, especially for tax. We handle international estates for clients all over the world and have the detailed knowledge you need to manage your wealth efficiently – call 0370 1500 100 to speak to a member of our team.
- Who Is International Estate Planning For?
- You may be able to benefit from international estate planning if you have a high value estate and:
  - You are domiciled in the UK and own foreign assets worth over £2 million
  - You own UK assets worth over £2 million and are tax-domiciled elsewhere
  - You are moving to or from the UK
  - You own assets in multiple countries
  - You want to pass wealth on to people living in different countries.
  We work with a variety of clients with varied estates, assets, and family situations and we recognise that everyone has unique needs and objectives. Whatever your circumstances, contact us to find out how we can help.
- Can International Estate Planning Reduce My Inheritance Tax?
- Your estate can be subject to inheritance tax if you have UK assets - even if you and your surviving family are resident and domiciled abroad.
  
  We can use a variety of structures to help you mitigate inheritance tax, including:
  - Trusts
  - Foundations
  - Companies
  - Private Investment Companies
  - Private Cell Companies.
  These methods often mean that you can reduce inheritance tax without needing to give up full control of your assets.
  
  The best structures for you will depend on the size of your estate, the nature and location of your assets, and your objectives for the future. Our specialist estate planning solicitors will work closely with you to develop the best solution for your estate – contact us to find out more.
- How Are Trusts Involved With International Estate Planning?
- Trusts let you pass on wealth and assets – either during your lifetime or after you die – and leave instructions for how they should be used. You can make sure your capital is managed and used appropriately, providing for various people at different times.
  
  Trusts are particularly useful for minimising tax. If you’re living in the UK but are domiciled abroad, you can put UK assets in trusts to shield them from inheritance tax. These trusts would even keep their inheritance tax protection if you later become domiciled in the UK.
  
  Read more about our expertise with setting up and managing trusts
- Meet The Team
- We are a dedicated team of specialised partners with over a century’s estate planning experience between us. We regularly work with clients all over the world, in particular the EU, Russia, and the Middle East.
  
  We’re not just solicitors but tax experts as well. This means we have a complete understanding of wealth management structures from the practical, day-to-day impact for family members to the long-term tax consequences.
  
  Meet our International Estate Planning Team