An expatriate in Abu Dhabi who was diagnosed with terminal cancer sought legal assistance to draft a will but passed away before it could be completed, leaving his family facing complex legal challenges. The deceased’s wife, grieving and unprepared for the unexpected complications, experienced delays in settling the estate and disruptions to a property sale. The process also required involving relatives in the United Kingdom, including elderly and unwell parents, further complicating the resolution.

This case highlights broader concerns among expatriates in the United Arab Emirates regarding estate planning. A recent YouGov survey of 1,014 expatriates residing in the UAE found that 49 percent have yet to begin drafting a will, and 56 percent assume their assets will automatically transfer to their spouse or partner upon death.

Legal experts caution that such assumptions can lead to difficulties. Samara Iqbal, founder of Aramas International Lawyers, noted that timely completion and registration of a will could mitigate uncertainty and ease the administrative burden on surviving family members. Anton Pirinen, founder of Blanket, an online estate planning platform, emphasized that marriage alone does not guarantee automatic inheritance or immediate access to a deceased spouse’s assets.

Under UAE civil inheritance laws applied to non-Muslim expatriates, estates are distributed according to a fixed formula: if the deceased leaves behind a spouse and children, half the estate goes to the surviving spouse, while the other half is divided equally among the children, without regard to gender. In the absence of children, other relatives such as parents or siblings may be entitled to a share. This means that assets do not necessarily pass in full to the surviving spouse.

Additionally, any inheritance allocated to children legally belongs to them, and the surviving spouse may not have unrestricted access to those funds, even for family expenses. Pirinen noted that accessing money to cover daily costs can be difficult during the estate administration period, as bank accounts and other assets may be frozen. Being married does not automatically grant immediate access to a late spouse’s finances, and the legal process for inheritance can be lengthy.

Property transactions may also be complicated following the death of an expatriate if ownership transfer requires completing inheritance formalities beforehand. The survey also revealed that only 24 percent of parents with children under the age of 18 had legally documented guardianship arrangements, despite 73 percent believing their families understood their wishes regarding dependents. Pirinen stressed that having discussions about guardianship is important but insufficient without formal legal documentation.

For expatriates delaying will preparation, legal advisors recommend starting by identifying their assets and clearly outlining how they wish their estate to be distributed to avoid potential complications for their families.