Executor of will living abroad.

[Doublefaced]

Are there any major downsides that I haven’t considered?

My will is pretty straightforward and my children are the main beneficiaries. However whilst DH knows it’s contents, we are having some relationship issues and I worry now that he’ll create issues. I’m frontline covid nurse so it’s fairly urgent to have my will sorted.

I know from google that it’s possible to have an overseas executor but in the circumstances is it wise? My named executor is someone I trust implicitly and is really competent and clued up when it comes to this sort of stuff.

Can you not have anyone else, and name them as ‘joint and several’?

My dh has been an executor a few times now and IMO it would have been much more of a hassle doing it from abroad - always a lot of work anyway even when the person’s affairs were straightforward - paperwork, having to see a solicitor, copies of death certificates, visiting banks with this or that document, etc.

I've not done it, or looked into it but, depending exactly where abroad, things that were tricky for us dealing with solicitors (inheritance and house buying) were:
*proof of identity - the embassy was a 6 hr drive away, and they wanted notified copies of documents
*access to archaic and random bits of paper we had in storage elsewhere in the country
*I guess colleting random bits of paper from your house could also prove problematic
*phonecalls to/from solicitors were £££££

Could you have 2 executors? Your preferred person from abroad as the voice of reason, and someone more locally who could deal with the smaller stuff?

I basically have named the solicitors who drew up my Will as Executors.

Think hard before you name anyone but a solicitor as Executor as it's a huge responsibility.

When my Nan died she had named my Uncle (who lived in Scotland- my Nan had lived in Dorset!) & my Dad (her EX son in law) as executors.
It was very difficult as everything had to be agreed & discussed between them both.
They still had to be advised on a lot of tax & legal related issues by my Nan's solicitor anyway!

My Dad was left to do most of the work by my Uncle & he found it very stressful.
And my mum was devastated as she had no legal say in anything important- luckily my Dad is friendly with her & gave her permission to arrange the funeral etc.

And to anyone making a Will I would say remember to update it when things change - my Nan on her deathbed said she regretted not leaving money to me & my sister, fortunately my mum gave part of her inheritance to both of us as Nan would have wanted but she didn't have to.

I live on another content from my parents who are in the UK, and I'm one of the executors of their will. The other lives even further away. When I do need to deal with it all, my plan is to go back to the UK anyway. I'll need to sort out their house, apart from anything.

Things I thought about before I agreed to be executor.

I made sure I have a way of making/receiving calls to/from the UK without it costing a fortune. I work as a freelancer doing online work, so I can work from anywhere. My children are older so can be left with just their dad for longer periods. I keep my passports up to date so I can travel at short notice.