Withers Worldwide

International estates

We have a large probate and trust management practice that is not only skilled in domestic and international estate and trust administration but also includes a complementary team focusing on the practical issues that arise when an international asset-holder dies.

Our international team has broad experience in managing trusts and estates with complex structures involving assets and beneficiaries in multiple jurisdictions and the difficult legal and tax issues that arise when the laws of several jurisdictions may apply.

We advise on the application of international succession laws, including international inheritance and tax issues. We work closely with our team of dedicated trust and probate litigators dealing with disputes relating to cross-border estates.

Our international client list includes professional and individual trustees, executors, administrators, banks and beneficiaries, including charitable beneficiaries.

Recent work

Acting for a German beneficiary to secure her inheritance, which included property in four jurisdictions; this involved advising on the interaction of French succession rules with German matrimonial property rules.
Acting in the estate of a US citizen who died deemed domiciled in the UK and leaving his assets outright to his UK domiciled wife. We prepared a US Qualified Domestic Trust (QDOT) and coordinated its funding in conjunction with a UK Deed of Variation, to achieve both the US estate tax marital deduction and the UK inheritance tax spouse exemption.
Advising on claims involving the estate of a client who lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, had assets in various offshore trusts, and died in Switzerland.

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Probate & trust management

International estates

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