Wills, probate, IHT

What about a thread on these subjects?

M

Hi Maria, someone once told me that if either myself or my hubby dies our Spanish joint account will be frozen until things are sorted ( we are both residents ) Is this so ?  Correct.

M.

Hola Maria, is it the same for non residents then &, if so, how are people expected to pay for a funeral & other things which still need paying such as Direct Debits, community charges, electric, water etc, if we have no access to joint funds. Can see this getting interesting, although I would not wish to ask certain questions on a public forum.  

If you are non resident, better make a spanish will which will be covering your spanish assets. In any case, the bank will not allow anybody to operate the bank account till the probate is finished.

Funeral: the majority of people in Spain have an insurance to cover death expenses.

General supplies: It can be paid out of a different bank account till the IHT is paid. It can take a couple of days as you will be just making a list of goods to pay the tax. That will enable the survivor to operate the joint bank account.

Hi Maria

Please could you give a rough estimate of how much a lawer will charge to draw up a will in Spain? I am talking about a basic will for a married couple to cover the property.

Thanks.

I need to chek it in the Bar association´s fee scale  which stablishes minimums for feeing that lawyers can increase freely. 

A good revision by a lawyer is always advisable. If you find a good Notary who speaks English, that can be enough for a simple will but  nothing  like a good lawyer to take care of all the ingredients.

Yes, I know I am a lawyer. That is my opinion anyhow.