Q
Guide: Wills and Estates ยท 5 minute read
Financial Assets Will in the UAE: What to Name, Who Signs and the Fees
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A financial assets will is a will that says who receives your bank accounts, savings, investments and shares after you die. We draft it, check every clause and prepare the Arabic text through a legal translator. Our in-house notary public notarises it in person at our Battuta Gate office, online or on a home visit.
At a Glance
The will names each financial asset, or a group of assets, and who receives it.
You choose the registry. We prepare the document; we do not register it.
A notarised instrument in Dubai is in Arabic, or comes with a certified Arabic translation signed with it.
Our will starts from AED 4,000, and the registry fee is separate.
We prepare documents. If a dispute or a court case arises, you need a practising advocate.
WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790 and send us a list of what you own.
The notary checks the identity, capacity and consent of the person signing and applies the seal. The will is then registered with the registry you choose, and the appointment is set with that registry.
Checklist
Financial Assets Will Requirements: What the Will Should Name
A will is only useful if the person reading it can tell what you mean. Vague words such as "my money" cause delay. Write each asset in a way a bank or investment firm can identify.
Bank accounts: the bank name and the account type
Savings and fixed deposits
Shares, funds and investment accounts
Company shares, if you own a stake in a business
Money owed to you
Any asset held in another country
For each item, say who receives it and what happens if that person has died before you. Name an executor too. That is the person who carries out the will.
Who Signs
You sign as the person making the will. The notary checks your ID, that you understand what you sign and that you sign freely. Witnesses may be needed, depending on the registry you choose. We tell you before the appointment.
If you are not sure which registry fits your situation, see our pages on how to register a will in the UAE, the Dubai Courts will and the DIFC will.
Checklist
Financial Assets Will Documents Required
Bring these to the first appointment:
Your passport or Emirates ID
A list of your financial assets, with account names and numbers kept private until you sign
The names, nationalities and contact details of the people who will receive them
The name of your executor
A copy of any earlier will, if you have one
Any translation you already hold, if the draft is in another language
If you need a certified copy of an ID or an earlier will, our in-house notary public can certify it. See where to get a certified true copy of documents.
Financial Assets Will Procedure
01
Send us your asset list and who should receive each item.
02
We draft the will and check every clause with you.
03
We prepare the Arabic text through a legal translator. Translations for official use are done by a legal translator registered with the UAE Ministry of Justice. Under Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, Article 27, a notarised instrument in Dubai is in Arabic or comes with a certified Arabic translation.
04
You sign before our in-house notary public, in person at our office, online or on a home visit.
05
You register the will with the registry you choose. The appointment is set with that registry.
Notarial acts in the UAE are regulated by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022. Our page on how to write a will in the UAE covers the whole order of work.
Watch for
Mistakes That Get the Document Refused
01
Listing "all my money" without naming accounts or groups of assets
02
Leaving out what happens if a beneficiary dies first
03
No Arabic text or certified Arabic translation
04
Signing before the draft has been read in full
05
Changing a name by hand after signing
06
Assuming one will covers assets in every country
For a will that covers property, see property will in the UAE. For everything in one document, see full will in the UAE.
Prices
Financial Assets Will Fees
| Service | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| Will | from AED 4,000 | Registry fee, separate |
| Legal translation | from AED 50 per page | None |
| Certified true copy | from AED 400 | None |
| Home visit | Quote on request | None |
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay.
Who Does What
We prepare the document. We do not represent people in court. If your family disagrees about who receives what, or a court case is open, you need a practising advocate. Representation before the courts is reserved to lawyers licensed in the UAE and on the Ministry of Justice roll of practising lawyers, under Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2022, Article 6. Our page on notary vs lawyer for wills explains who drafts, notarises and registers.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
If your question is not here, ask it on WhatsApp. Tell us what the document is for and who will sign it.
How much does a financial assets will cost?
Our will starts from AED 4,000, and the registry fee is separate. Translation starts from AED 50 per page. We confirm your final price before you pay.
How long does a financial assets will take?
It depends on how complete your asset list is and on the registry appointment, so we cannot give a time. Send us your list and we tell you what is missing.
What documents are required for a financial assets will?
Your ID, a list of your financial assets, the names of the people who receive them and your executor. A copy of any earlier will helps. The full list is above.
Can a financial assets will be done online?
Our in-house notary public offers online notary public services, and we tell you if your document can be done online. You can also sign in person at our office or on a home visit. The registry you choose may have its own steps, so we check them with you.
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Send Us Your Asset List
Call or WhatsApp +971 52 484 1790, or email support@notariolawyersuae.com. Tell us what the document is for and who will sign it, and we will reply with what it needs and a starting price. Message us on WhatsApp.
Office: 10th floor, Battuta Gate offices, Dubai, UAE. Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7.
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