inheritance issues with dad

cobbingstones

Hi all,

I received a letter from my dad over the weekend with his PIN number and name of his bank enclosed. He asked me to keep it safe, due to arrangements being made for his bank card to be posted to me when he dies. He currently lives in Malta and is not in the best of health.

Apart from feeling sad that I have received it, I do not think that this would be possible? My dad is very careful with his money and I feel he is doing this to save on employing a solicitor I do not know what happens once a person has died abroad, I assume their death certificate is lodged with the birth and deaths office and their monies frozen?

This is very difficult as I do not have a strong relationship with him, and I hate the thought of having to discuss this, even though he is very practical and does not have issues with death.

Thank you for reading x

peachyprice

I'm sure his accounts will be frozen eventually.

Perhaps he's doing this as a means for you to be able to get to Malta and arrange his funeral wihtout having to bear the cost yourself before the account is frozen rather than a long term solution to giving you access to your inheritance?

I think you need clarification from him, you can't simply keep on using the account of a dead person.

cobbingstones

No I want things to be above board and right. I would prefer a will with his wishes so i could act on his interests as we would wish me to.

Thank you for your reply.

NAR

So you are sure there is no will? I take the assumption that the bank account is in Malta is correct? To close the bank account I assume you will have to produce a death certificate; the bank will be very suspicious about any withdrawels from the account after his death I would have thought. Are you his only living relative and thus likely to be the only/major inheritor of the estate? You will need to get advice on the rules in Malta on someone dying intestate.

Oldernotwiser

This might be a good starting point for your research.

http://www.successions-europe.eu/en/malta/topics

cobbingstones

NAR wrote: »

So you are sure there is no will? I take the assumption that the bank account is in Malta is correct? To close the bank account I assume you will have to produce a death certificate; the bank will be very suspicious about any withdrawels from the account after his death I would have thought. Are you his only living relative and thus likely to be the only/major inheritor of the estate? You will need to get advice on the rules in Malta on someone dying intestate.

No it's an English bank account.

Yes I would be the main inheritor (I assume). He said that he would also post a letter with the card.

cobbingstones

Forgot to add that there is no will. I asked him.

Oldernotwiser

It seems as if there is no inheritance tax in Malta except on property; your father may not know that.

stroodes

Regarding your fathers bank account,if there is more than £5200, I think, then on his death you will have to go through probate, I had to with my mothers account even though I was her only family, no other siblings and mother was a widow with no partner. Much simpler if there is a will.

Oldernotwiser

stroodes wrote: »

Regarding your fathers bank account,if there is more than £5200, I think, then on his death you will have to go through probate, I had to with my mothers account even though I was her only family, no other siblings and mother was a widow with no partner. Much simpler if there is a will.

People who live abroad are governed by the laws that exist in their country of residence, not by those in the UK. This refers to the person who dies rather than the person who inherits.

neverdespairgirl

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

People who live abroad are governed by the laws that exist in their country of residence, not by those in the UK. This refers to the person who dies rather than the person who inherits.

Usually it's country of domicile, rather than residence.