New rules from the European Union - Regulation (EU) Nº 650/2012 of the European Parliament and of the council of 4th July 2012 - stipulate that, in the absence of an express indication in the form of a valid Will, the rules that apply to a deceased’s estate are the rules of the country in which they were habitually resident.
For many this could mean being forced to apply strict rules of inheritance that exist foreign countries unless a Will is drafted in a suitable format.
For anyone who wishes to control the manner in which their estate is distributed under their own laws rather than the laws of the State where their assets are located.
Our experienced English-speaking lawyers will discuss with you all aspects of how you wish to dispose of your estate, ensuring:
We dealt with Angela, and had a superb service - she was efficient, clear, timely and exceptionally helpful. We would recommend this respectable Solicitor who has excellent English.
Trustworthiness is so important, and step by step help was very much appreciated. Thank you Angela of myAdvocate Fuengirola.
Very satisfied with the service. Would definitely recommend to friends.
Joao was extremely helpful, he couldn't have done more!
Rosa responded very promptly to our inquiry, grasped our needs immediately, and provided an excellent solution which was delivered seamlessly. Rosa thoroughly explained the intricacies of the local legal system, providing options and considerations.
Overall Rosa provided outstanding service through a professional and mindful approach to our needs. We really enjoyed our interaction and it is without hesitation that we recommend her to future prospective clients. Thank you Rosa!
I'm very happy with the services received: I started with José in Alicante on various subjects whom than handed me over to Miguel for another case because he said Miguel was much more experienced in the field I needed assistance, I can appreciate professionals knowing their business.
In the beginning when I started emailing with your good selves I experienced difficulties receiving mails from advocate abroad, it was a server issue from advocate abroad, I repeatedly asked Miguel and José about it but they could not find anything wrong. At this moment I no longer experience these problems.
Inmaculada has always responded to all my queries and explained and provided excellent solutions. She is very approachable, diligent and professional.
I am very pleased with the service provided by Francisco. He has been most helpful and responded very quickly to all my emails.
Rosa always responded promptly to any email I sent.
She kept me informed and provided alternatives and 3rd party services (translation).
Thank you Rosa for your assistance, perseverance and honesty in helping my mum and I. We will definitely recommend you.
Ramon was very helpful and professional. He listened to our requests carefully and we will be using him again if we need anymore legal services.
By planning in advance, you will help to remove the emotional burden and some of the financial worry from your next of kin at a time in their lives when they are least able to cope.
Planning for your funeral now means you can fix the complete cost of your Cremation funeral in advance (FD Professional fees, Cremation fees and Ministers fees are guaranteed), no matter how far in the future death occurs. If burial is your funeral choice, your plan will guarantee the cost of the funeral director and pay a contribution towards the cost of cemetery and burial fees.
Repatriation of your body to any country from the UK if you require your Funeral to be conducted elsewhere in the world. Repatriation can be a part of your funeral planning agreed in advance.
In addition we can help you personalise your funeral to give you the send-off you’d like. To create a bespoke funeral choose either our Platinum or Gold plans and then call our team who will be happy to help with advice on any additions you’d like.
Our team will do their best to accommodate any additions that you require and will be able to advise on additional costs. Also whether your requests can be added now as part of the payment plan or whether it’s a request to add to your file, which has to be paid for when the time comes.
Our team is used to a variety of requests but we are typically asked to provide additions such as:
You have noticed something specific on the property that makes you concerned
The property is old
The property is out of town, in the countryside
The property is in a protected zone (old town, coastal area)
You are unsure of local building standards and want to be sure before investing
You are setting-up a business and need to obtain a surveyor’s suitability report to be able to engage in the proposed business activity on the premises
Our surveyors offer two different types of property survey suitable for English-speakers acquiring property abroad:
This survey is very extensive, and typically includes an in-depth inspection of the property with a detailed report in English, providing information and analysis of the current condition of:
Central Heating and Air-conditioning systems
Electrical System
Internal Plumbing
Interior/Exterior walls, floors, ceilings, windows, stairways
Drains, guttering and external sewage system
The surveyor will also:
Check for damp
Check for any signs of erosion, subsidence or material/structural fatigue
Include Recommended/Required steps to take to bring the property up to standard
This report will provide an in-depth and detailed analysis of all aspects of the property before proceeding to purchase.
Please note, if purchasing an aged or rural property, or indeed one that is located in a protected/heritage area, a building survey is recommended to ensure that you are made well aware of any defects in the building that will require more investment down the line. It will almost certainly more than pay for itself!
Before proceeding with the acquisition of premises for business or commercial purposes, it is vital to ensure that they are suitable for the activity that you propose, and a legal requirement to obtain a ‘Commercial Activity License’.
Local zoning laws and health and safety regulations regulate what types of commercial activity may take place in particular zones of towns and cities and also any adjustments or renovations that need to take place before the premises are suitable for the activity proposed.
Once you begin to undertake the commercial activity you may be inspected at any time and be required to produce a valid licence certificate.
The process for obtaining the commercial activity licence begins with a Technical Project Report carried-out by a suitably qualified architect or technical architect or engineer. The method of drafting the report will vary according to the commercial activity proposed and the premises in which they take place, but broadly speaking, it involves:
Discussion with the architect about the business project envisaged by the business owner
Architect visits the premises
Architect compiles the report as follows:
Description of the activity that will take place
Description of the premises including m
Anyone who needs to arrange an NIE number in Spain fast!
You will need an NIE number in Spain for a host of reasons: for buying or inheriting property, setting-up a business, payment of taxes etc., you will often need to get this arranged quickly and with a minimum of fuss.
Unfortunately, the NIE service is run by the Spanish National Police or the diplomatic services and this is usually a slow process, taking weeks/months to arrange. This can mean expensive delays for those who urgently need to address business or personal matters.
This is the fourth time I have used this company I would not look elsewhere, their service is second to none.
Below is a list of the services included in our Home Insurance service.
Upon request for a quotation, our staff will be able to provide you with additional information you may have about this service regarding any exemptions, limits, voluntary excesses etc.
Please note, our insurance products and services ensure that our clients understand their rights and obligations despite being in another country.
In fact, our services have been designed with the international traveller in mind, and our call centres, documentation and our consultants are all able to assist you in English to give you peace of mind and certainty, in an uncertain world.
Below is a list of the services included in our Car Insurance service.
Upon request for a quotation, our staff will be able to provide you with additional information you may have about this service regarding any exemptions, limits, voluntary excesses etc.
Please note, our insurance products and services ensure that our clients understand their rights and obligations despite being in another country.
In fact, our services have been designed with the international traveller in mind, and our call centres, documentation and our consultants are all able to assist you in English to give you peace of mind and certainty, in an uncertain world.
*Optional guarantee
Every year we help thousands of individuals save money on their foreign currency payments for property purchase, emigration, overseas mortgage repayments, etc.
If you make or receive payments in a foreign currency, we could save you a great deal of money and make your currency transfers simple.
We guarantee much better exchange rates than the ‘tourist rates’ you would normally get from your bank and can save you up to 6% on currency transfers typically saving you £5,000 on a £100,000 transfer.
Open a free account with us - Your account can be opened the very same day and you will be assigned a dedicated account manager.
Your account manager will keep you informed on currency market movements and get the best exchange rate for you at the time. Once agreed, this rate is then guaranteed for you.
Once you have paid for your currency we will immediately transfer the money to the bank account specified by you, anywhere in the world.”
Sterling moved higher on Thursday as odds of a Conservative majority at next week's election rose above 70% for the first time.
As a result of the news, the GBP-EUR rate rallied to multi year highs to 1.1860 and the GBP-USD rose to multi month highs to 1.3159.
This appreciation in sterling represents an improvement of 10% against the EUR since August, and 7 against the USD since October. Analysts have commented that along with favourable polling for the Conservatives, sterling has been aided by a breach of key technical levels at 1.30 against the USD and 0.85 on the EUR-GBP.
The Conservatives were given a further boost during Thursday’s session as Annunziata Rees-Mogg, Lance Forman and Lucy Harris announced that they would resign from the Brexit Party in a bid to help PM Johnson get his Brexit deal over the line.
The next polling results are scheduled to be released over the weekend. If the polls show Labour as having closed the gap, it’s likely we could see a correction in sterling on Monday.
EUR gained against the USD on Thursday and moved above 1.11 despite mixed data releases. GDP figures came in line with expectations, although retail sales fell below expectations of -0.3% to -0.6%.
USD - 13:30: Non-Farm Payrolls (NOV) Expected: 180k Previous 128K.
USD - 13:30: Average Hourly Earnings (YoY) (Nov) expected: 3% Previous: 3%.
USD - 15:00: Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (Dec) Expected: 96.5 Previous: 96.8.
GBP surged higher against all major currencies on Wednesday as the odds of the UK avoiding a hung Parliament at next week's general election increased.
Having already moved over 1 cent this week, the pound raced to 7 month highs against the USD to 1.3116 and 2 year highs against the EUR to 1.1830. This is despite downbeat data released earlier in the day which showed UK services falling below expectations to read 49.3.
The appreciation in sterling was mainly due to a YouGov poll released on Tuesday, which showed the Labour Party lose further ground on the Conservative Party. Currently, the gap between the two parties stands at 9 points. Such a result in the election would see the Conservatives walk away with a comfortable majority and likely result in further GBP strength. This is due to an assumption by investors that a Conservative majority in Parliament will put to rest months of Brexit uncertainty and allow the PM to pass his withdrawal agreement.
10:00 – EUR: Retail Sales (YoY) (Oct) Expectation: 2.2% Previous: 3.1%.
10:00 – EUR: GDP (YoY) (Q3) Expectation: 1.2% Previous 1.2%.
GBP surged higher against all major currencies on Wednesday as the odds of the UK avoiding a hung Parliament at next week's general election increased.
Having already moved over 1 cent this week, the pound raced to 7 month highs against the USD to 1.3116 and 2 year highs against the EUR to 1.1830. This is despite downbeat data released earlier in the day which showed UK services falling below expectations to read 49.3.
The appreciation in sterling was mainly due to a YouGov poll released on Tuesday, which showed the Labour Party lose further ground on the Conservative Party. Currently, the gap between the two parties stands at 9 points. Such a result in the election would see the Conservatives walk away with a comfortable majority and likely result in further GBP strength. This is due to an assumption by investors that a Conservative majority in Parliament will put to rest months of Brexit uncertainty and allow the PM to pass his withdrawal agreement.
10:00 – EUR: Retail Sales (YoY) (Oct) Expectation: 2.2% Previous: 3.1%.
10:00 – EUR: GDP (YoY) (Q3) Expectation: 1.2% Previous 1.2%.
The pound strengthened yesterday after recent polls showed an increase in support for the Conservative Party. This goes some way to allaying fears that their lead was receding after polls from last week showed the Labour Party gaining ground. Uncertainty has risen recently as a hung Parliament looked to be a real possibility, but the nervousness around this has relented.
The dollar suffered yesterday after Donald Trump said a trade deal with China may have to wait until after the 2020 presidential election. This surprise statement reversed the recent news surrounding a trade deal, especially as market participants have been waiting for an outcome for some time. US consumer data has been strong recently due to the Christmas period, but investors are concerned that we will not see a dollar rally due to Trump’s focus on China and the increase of tariffs elsewhere.
09:30 – GBP: Markit Services PMI (Nov); expected to remain at 48.6.
15:00 – USD: ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI (Nov); expected to fall to 54.5 from previous of 54.7.
The Halloween costumes have been packed away for another year and the Guy Fawkes bonfires have well and truly burnt out. It can mean only one thing: Christmas party season is finally upon us. That magical time of year when our focus switches from pouring over spreadsheets to pouring the free wine at the annual office shindig.
Much like drawing up a list of Christmas party dos and don’ts – do agree with everything your boss says, don’t drink all the wine – can keep your reputation intact, doing the same when sending money overseas can keep your business’s finances intact. Here are a few top tips to help you make the most of your international payments.
Do create an account with RationalFX to start making your international payments more efficient, cost effective and convenient.
Don't forget that we’re giving one lucky business £/€1000 towards their company Christmas party! All you have to do is make a transaction of £25,000 or more between the 4th – 17th December 2019 for your chance to win.
For more information about our corporate Christmas campaign, click here, or create an account to start making international payments today.
Below is a list of the services included in our Public Liability Insurance service.
Upon request for a quotation, our staff will be able to provide you with additional information you may have about this service regarding any exemptions, limits, voluntary excesses etc.
Please note, our insurance products and services ensure that our clients understand their rights and obligations despite being in another country.
In fact, our services have been designed with the international traveller in mind, and our call centres, documentation and our consultants are all able to assist you in English to give you peace of mind and certainty, in an uncertain world.
Below is a list of the services included in our Health Insurance service.
Upon request for a quotation, our staff will be able to provide you with additional information you may have about this service regarding any exemptions, limits, voluntary excesses etc.
Please note, our insurance products and services ensure that our clients understand their rights and obligations despite being in another country.
In fact, our services have been designed with the international traveller in mind, and our call centres, documentation and our consultants are all able to assist you in English to give you peace of mind and certainty, in an uncertain world.
Please Note that a waiting period applies before certain services become available
Documents that originate from outside of Spain will need to be translated into Spanish for many different legal and administrative processes before they can be used by local authorities here.
For formal processes, you will need a Sworn or Official Translator in Spain to translate and affix their stamp to the document. An Official Translator is approved by the Spanish Ministry of Justice as having the skill to carry-out this process for any legal proceedings as well as any other process that requires a Sworn Translator.
Examples of documents you are likely to need to get translated include, but are not limited to:
The list is in fact potentially endless and will depend on the particular process that you need to complete in Spain. Below you will find a list of processes and the documents you may need to have translated into Spanish.
For inheritance proceedings it can often be necessary to arrange for translation of an official death certificate if death occurred outside of Spain, unless an International Death Certificate has been issued. Also, if only a non-Spanish Will is in existence, this may well need to be translated also.
If a couple were married in the UK or other non-Spanish speaking jurisdiction, and they have children born there, it will be necessary to have the marriage certificate as well as the birth certificates of any children born outside Spain translated. Furthermore, any other documentation relating to assets abroad may need to be translated.
If a mortgage is required in Spain, it may well be necessary to justify your income, and should you be self-employed/business owner, then it may be necessary to have previous year's financial accounts translated to Spanish so that the bank may approve an application.
Health insurance covering the duration of your stay in Spain is necessary. The terms and conditions of such insurance are may need to be translated. Also, any economic means (pensions or any other income) by which you might prove that you can afford to stay in the country, will need to be translated.
Depending on the nature of the Court Order or Judgment that you have obtained in a foreign country, in order to have it enforced in Spain you may be required to follow the legal proceedings of 'Exequatur' which will require you to produce a translation of the original Court decision, carried-out by a Sworn or Official translator.
Our team of official translators are able to deal with many languages, though most popular would be English, German, French, Dutch and Russian.
Translations of documents will be returned the next working day, as long as the documents are sent before 2pm.
Spanish bank procedures and mortgage products are different to those in other countries.
Due to our long-standing relationships with the lenders, we offer expert guidance on the process of applying for a mortgage and exclusive conditions with rates not offered publicly from Euribor + 1.35%, fixed rates from 2.15%, mortgages without life insurance, and terms up to 25 years or age 75 if earlier.
For this type of mortgage, the best products are where the banks will offer a loan against the plot of land (up to 50% of the cost, or value of lower) and also for the construction works (up to 70% of the cost, or value of the project, if lower).
We have arranged many construction mortgages over the years and can offer expert guidance on the process. If you are interested in this type of mortgage, we would advise that you contact us as soon as possible.
Holiday home mortgages are generally for non-resident property buyers who do not live in Spain The maximum borrowing amount is up to 70% of the property purchase price (or valuation if lower).
We can currently offer mortgages with rates as low as annual Euribor + 1.35% or fixed rates from 2% for premium, non-resident clients (please enquire to see if you would qualify). Typically, for other clients, the rates will be a little higher than this (from Euribor + 1.9% and 2.15% fixed) but still lower than publicised rates or if you go directly to the banks.
Primary residence mortgages are for those where the property in Spain will be their main residence and they already pay their income tax here, or in exceptional cases are about to start paying taxes here. For this type of mortgage, it is possible to secure mortgages up to 80% of the property purchase price with rates from Euribor + 0.99% or fixed rates from 2.05%.
Investment mortgages are for those property buyers planning to rent out their property after purchase, or where the buyer already has at least one existing mortgage in Spain.
We have provided alternative finance solutions for property buyers who may have a sophisticated investment portfolio. We can help put together back-to-back loan arrangements secured against listed investments. This can be where the lender takes over as custodian, or where a guarantee is provided by the existing custodian of the assets.
If you are buying a property that banks will class as a commercial premises (offices, shops, hotels, B&Bs etc.), we can offer mortgages to suit your purposes. The mortgages available are generally 50-60% of the purchase price (or valuation if lower) and conditions differ from those for residential properties.
Some banks will allow you to purchase through a newly formed Spanish limited company (Sociedad Limitada or “SL” company). If the company is set up as a shell company for the sole purpose of buying the property, meaning it will not actively trade after the purchase, it can be possible to secure mortgage terms that would apply for a residential mortgage.
Below is a list of the services included in our Landlord Insurance service.
Upon request for a quotation, our staff will be able to provide you with additional information you may have about this service regarding any exemptions, limits, voluntary excesses etc.
Please note, our insurance products and services ensure that our clients understand their rights and obligations despite being in another country.
In fact, our services have been designed with the international traveller in mind, and our call centres, documentation and our consultants are all able to assist you in English to give you peace of mind and certainty, in an uncertain world.
Our financial advisors are fully qualified to UK standards (QFA & CeMAP) and with a minimum of 10 years experience in the financial services industry provide financial advice to expats across Europe in the following areas:
If you are an expatriate and you have a pension pot which is worth over £70,000 you may be able to release it from the restrictive UK system and it’s ever changing rules entirely. If your pension value is between £30,000 and £70,000 we now have exclusive access to cost effective products that could mean a transfer is beneficial.
Benefits include: Leave ALL unused pension funds to your beneficiaries free of UK IHT (Inheritance Tax); Much greater investment freedom; Tax free lump sum of up to 30%; Take income from your pension in a much more tax efficient way.
Imagine that you are retiring tomorrow? How much money would you like to or need to write yourself a cheque for
to ensure that you will have enough in the bank to last you, your spouse and possibly even your family for one year in retirement?
One of the most fundamental issues for you to think about when deciding on your financial planning options is to make sure that you are preparing for your retirement sufficiently and appropriately. Many expatriates do not get ahead in the retirement race by saving hard as they are scared of this approach encroaching on their standard of living today. However, with careful planning it is easy to get ahead without hindering your current lifestyle.
We know it is very easy to fall in to the ‘live for today’ mindset and not plan for the future when you’re living overseas. Thus, we have devised this simple, step by step report to show you how to take your financial future seriously, and avoid being one of those expatriates who returns home with nothing more than a mass of photos and memories - and perhaps even debt!
Your previous financial adviser may not be able to introduce you to the potentially tax saving and financially enhancing opportunities available as you find that their focus and expert knowledge is based in your home country alone.
Furthermore, a local adviser in your new nation is highly unlikely to understand your unique expatriate status, how that relates to any tax saving potential in the nation in which you are residing, and how you need to structure your affairs appropriately in case you should ever want to repatriate or relocate elsewhere. Planned correctly, a move to another country, including back to the UK, can have some very special future tax advantages.
Would you like to find out how you can increase Your Expat Savings and Pension Income and Performance?
Your FREE savings and pension review from one of our qualified Advisers shows you how to get higher interest rates, reduce charges and access a range of expatriate only financial benefits that enable greater growth.
Get your free review today and benefit from:
A free personalised financial health check and summary
Tax efficient savings and pensions
The best interest rates for expatriates
Find out how best to finance your property, based on your personal circumstances
Ensuring you have the correct plans in place for you and your family
