With the ongoing regional instability, economic uncertainty and complex cross-border family structures, legal specialists in the UAE are calling on residents to compile a comprehensive “legacy folder”. They said this will function as a single place to store important personal, financial, and legal documents to prevent administrative chaos for grieving families.
The folder, which goes beyond a traditional will, aims to solve what practitioners describe as the single biggest problem following a death — families not knowing where the money is.
Samara Iqbal, Founder of Aramas International Lawyers, said the most common problems in the event of the unexpected death of a primary breadwinner was cashflow. “Families suddenly struggle to pay rent, school fees, utilities and day-to-day costs,” she said. “Where there is no clear plan, they often face longer processes, more documentation requests and potential disputes.”
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Guardianship anxiety for minor children and cross-border complications – given that many UAE residents hold assets and family ties in multiple countries – adds to the difficulties. “A legacy folder doesn’t remove grief, but it can remove avoidable chaos,” she said.
‘Voice from the grave’
Mohammed Marria, CEO and founder of Just Wills Consultants, said the concept arose from years of handling death cases where surviving relatives were left unable to locate assets, insurance policies or even basic identity documents.
He described the legacy folder as “the voice from the grave” — a means for the deceased to tell the family exactly what exists and what they want done with it.
He pointed out that the folder should include a copy of the will, power of attorney, beneficiary forms for life insurance or end-of-service benefits, a family tree, change-of-name deeds, nationality change documents, expired passports, and expired Emirates ID cards.
“All of this goes in the folder,” he said. “If you’re going to be foolish not to share the information because you don’t trust your spouse or your children, remember if there is no legal heir, in many countries, a person’s assets will revert to the state.”
Extensive documentation
Mohammed explained that courts demand rigorous proof of family relationships before distributing any inheritance. “The court requires several documents,” he said. “Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and all related documentation.”
He added that in some countries, like the UK, when a Muslim dies without a will, the Islamic shariah law applies. For non-Muslims, the assets are divided equally between the wife and children as long as they have the documents to prove it.”
He warned that dormant accounts represent a growing problem in the UK with over 19 billion pounds lying in banks unclaimed, due to lack of documentation.
What to include in the legacy folder
Samara described the legacy folder as “a one-stop ‘how to run my life if I’m gone’ pack.”
She recommended families include:
-
Identity: Emirates ID, passport copies, visa or residency documents, marriage certificate, children’s birth certificates, divorce orders.
-
Wills: UAE will, home-country will, guardianship wishes for minors, key lawyer contacts.
-
Finances: Bank account details, credit cards, loans, investment accounts, end-of-service gratuity details, pension information, list of direct debits.
-
Major assets: Title deeds, off-plan paperwork, mortgage documents, car ownership, insurance policies (life, medical, motor, home), valuations.
-
Business interests: Trade licences, share certificates, partner agreements, company bank access details, accountant and auditor contacts.
-
Digital access: A secure inventory of devices and key accounts, with instructions for where credentials are stored.
-
Practical instructions: Emergency contacts, school details, household arrangements, landlord contacts, a “first 72 hours” checklist.
“The legacy folder is a very practical companion to a will,” she said.
Other assets should be listed
According to Samara, jewellery, which is often both valuable and emotionally sensitive, requires specific attention. “Ideally, it should be specifically listed in a will or a written memorandum referenced by the will – key pieces, who receives them, and any heirlooms,” she said. “If it’s not clearly covered, families can disagree, especially where items were gifted informally or stored without records.”
She advised that the legacy folder should include photographs, receipts, valuations and details of where items are kept, such as a safe or bank deposit box.
She also noted a trend towards including digital assets in estate planning, including cryptocurrency, tokenised assets, online trading accounts, monetised social media, websites, domains, cloud-stored photos, and important email accounts.
“If there’s no will, families often face practical barriers because many platforms won’t grant access without specific authority,” she said. She encouraged families to create a digital asset inventory, appoint a trusted person as a digital executor, and provide clear instructions on whether to transfer, archive or delete accounts.
Does the legacy folder apply to polygamous marriages?
Mohammed urged residents to document all creditors, business partners, and overseas interests. “Let’s say you have a branch in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “Include the local partner’s passport copy in your legacy folder as we need to contact him.”
He also highlighted complications arising from polygamous marriages. Recalling one case involving a Hindu man with two wives — one in India and one in another country — Mohammed said the UAE court accepted both because each had a marriage certificate.
“According to Indian law, they would only accept the wife in India,” he said. “But the UAE did and because the assets were based in the UAE, both wives got equal amounts as inheritance.”
For children born outside wedlock, Mohammed said that if a birth certificate names the father and is properly attested, the court will generally accept the child as an heir, though he strongly recommended making a will to provide clarity.
Source: Khaleej Times