Inheriting in an obscure country

[Anonymous]

Local translator and local lawyer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I don’t think the issue is country specific. What matters is that:
-foreigners who don’t speak the language need a guide to be able to get around, unless one is super adventurous/sophisticated which this young man is not;
- legal issues need to be taken care of (inheriting and/or selling and then banking the money before transferring them) and it requires at least basic knowledge of the local language or again, a guide.

The mom has friends there but they are her age. Their kids don’t know the young man that well, and most of them don’t speak English that well. She has relatives and friends in the US as well, but again they are her age and who knows if they’ll be able to accompany her son to the funeral?

That is unbelievably ignorant.

Do you really think inheritance laws are the same in all countries? If you do, stay out of it.

The mom tells me all the legal stuff (inheritance or gifting) will be taken care of. It’s not the issue! The issue is how to go there without knowing the language and not get ripped off!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Son is a US citizen? Have him contact the American Citizen Services section of the US embassy there (we'll assume there is an embassy there -- you're not mentiong the country which is unhelpful) and ask for a referral to a lawyer who handles land stuff. They'll know the ones there who speak English.

When the mother dies, the lawyer finds a local real estate agent to handle the sale. The son comes for closing. If it's a county where banking with the US is restricted (again, this is why we need to know the country!), then have him get a notarized translation into English of the sale documents, and have him carry the cash (converted to USD) back to the US. He needs to declare it along the way but his sale documents will show that it's not dirty money.

Son is US citizen. No banking restrictions mentioned.
Thank you! I’ve never heard about embassies dealing with estate lawyers but it may be something to explore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: I am familiar with unusual requirements in a couple of countries regarding inheritances involving real estate (vacant land, homes, condos). Tell your relatives to start the process now before the grantor or intestate owner dies or becomes legally incapacitated.

Also, in contested situations between a blood relative in line of intestate succession or inheritance by legal document beneficiary and a stranger/non-relative who claims property rights, you may have to sell your rights to folks with connections or other source of power who can resolve matters quickly; otherwise it can take many years and lots of money to try to resolve the matter in your favor. Some countries have laws that are very weird compared to typical US property & estate/inheritance laws.

From what I hear the process is pretty straightforward there, UNLESS there is outright machinations with the will or some such.
I think it’s best the mom gifts her son the property. He can travel now while she is there and relatively healthy and can act as his guide, and they can sign all the documents. He has two citizenships so on paper he isn’t even a foreigner in that country.
Thanks for the great ideas!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You always need a local lawyers. Always. In some countries it’s illegal to take more than a few thousand dollars out of the country at all! You need an expert in local requirements.

The mom will take care of the legal stuff, with or without lawyers, the question is more about him having to travel to deal with the whole thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You always need a local lawyers. Always. In some countries it’s illegal to take more than a few thousand dollars out of the country at all! You need an expert in local requirements.

The mom will take care of the legal stuff, with or without lawyers, the question is more about him having to travel to deal with the whole thing

You're being incredibly unclear. So there will be local lawyers there handling things. What does the son need then? Surely someone in the law office can speak English, or provide a translator if not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You always need a local lawyers. Always. In some countries it’s illegal to take more than a few thousand dollars out of the country at all! You need an expert in local requirements.

The mom will take care of the legal stuff, with or without lawyers, the question is more about him having to travel to deal with the whole thing

You're being incredibly unclear. So there will be local lawyers there handling things. What does the son need then? Surely someone in the law office can speak English, or provide a translator if not.

This is the problem. No there won’t be anyone (according to mom). Now that I am thinking about it, I think their need is someone trustworthy AND English speaking which might be a problem (outside of the capital).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You always need a local lawyers. Always. In some countries it’s illegal to take more than a few thousand dollars out of the country at all! You need an expert in local requirements.

The mom will take care of the legal stuff, with or without lawyers, the question is more about him having to travel to deal with the whole thing

You're being incredibly unclear. So there will be local lawyers there handling things. What does the son need then? Surely someone in the law office can speak English, or provide a translator if not.

Basically, imagine some small town in the boonies. A woman dies and her son who has all the proper documentation (DL, title, or will) but doesn’t speak a lick of English shows up and is trying to sell the house.
This will be the situation but in reverse. Mom is thinking of maybe finding someone in town who will help her son accomplish this?

[Anonymous]

Local lawyer who speaks English, and whom the mother contacts now to start the relationship.

Are you worried about this being an "enemy country", where he won't be safe or he'll be taken advantage of, or the US will look askance at his ties there? Because I'm getting that feeling now. If the mother is a local, I think there are less chances of that.

I don't know why the mother wouldn't contact the other extended relatives. They might not have talked in years, but this is surely something they could help with. Without knowing my friend's friend, who had inherited real estate in my home country without speaking the language, I agreed to help him! Had I been an extended relative, I would have felt obligated to do so.

I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill about all the wrong things, OP.People are nice in Kazakhstan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I don’t think the issue is country specific. What matters is that:
-foreigners who don’t speak the language need a guide to be able to get around, unless one is super adventurous/sophisticated which this young man is not;
- legal issues need to be taken care of (inheriting and/or selling and then banking the money before transferring them) and it requires at least basic knowledge of the local language or again, a guide.

The mom has friends there but they are her age. Their kids don’t know the young man that well, and most of them don’t speak English that well. She has relatives and friends in the US as well, but again they are her age and who knows if they’ll be able to accompany her son to the funeral?

I was in this situation (as a heir). What you need is to line up a couple of lawyers or notaries (whoever handles such things in that country) and establish a relationship with them, communicating maybe once a year, the mom should initiate it. You need more than one because things happen - my lawyer passed away in the middle of handling my inheritance, so ideally it will be some sort of partnership office. It's hard logistically and emotionally to line things up when you are grieving, and lots of various grifters are out to get you. In my case, the relative didn't die right away, but we knew it was coming, so had a bit of time to talk to different people. It would have been much better if we had established contacts there.

That said, you have to accept that you will never be able to deal with the property as advantageously as someone native to the country and living there. You will sell it for less and you will get fleeced somewhere along the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I don’t think the issue is country specific. What matters is that:
-foreigners who don’t speak the language need a guide to be able to get around, unless one is super adventurous/sophisticated which this young man is not;
- legal issues need to be taken care of (inheriting and/or selling and then banking the money before transferring them) and it requires at least basic knowledge of the local language or again, a guide.

The mom has friends there but they are her age. Their kids don’t know the young man that well, and most of them don’t speak English that well. She has relatives and friends in the US as well, but again they are her age and who knows if they’ll be able to accompany her son to the funeral?

I was in this situation (as a heir). What you need is to line up a couple of lawyers or notaries (whoever handles such things in that country) and establish a relationship with them, communicating maybe once a year, the mom should initiate it. You need more than one because things happen - my lawyer passed away in the middle of handling my inheritance, so ideally it will be some sort of partnership office. It's hard logistically and emotionally to line things up when you are grieving, and lots of various grifters are out to get you. In my case, the relative didn't die right away, but we knew it was coming, so had a bit of time to talk to different people. It would have been much better if we had established contacts there.

That said, you have to accept that you will never be able to deal with the property as advantageously as someone native to the country and living there. You will sell it for less and you will get fleeced somewhere along the way.

PP. I did not have to travel at all, if that's your concern. My lawyer had the power of attorney or whatever the local equivalent, and just sent me the money once it was all settled, including goingthrough the accounts of the deceased lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You always need a local lawyers. Always. In some countries it’s illegal to take more than a few thousand dollars out of the country at all! You need an expert in local requirements.

The mom will take care of the legal stuff, with or without lawyers, the question is more about him having to travel to deal with the whole thing

You're being incredibly unclear. So there will be local lawyers there handling things. What does the son need then? Surely someone in the law office can speak English, or provide a translator if not.

This is the problem. No there won’t be anyone (according to mom). Now that I am thinking about it, I think their need is someone trustworthy AND English speaking which might be a problem (outside of the capital).

The lawyer mom chooses is likely trustworthy. They can provide an English translator or son can find one -- the US embassy in each country keeps a list for Americans who need assistance.

What is this mythical country where it's so difficult to find an English translator? I've traveled far and wide, and while English may not be widely spoken in many countries, it's still possible to find people who speak it. It is essentialy the global language after all.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are incredibly annoying. What a waste of time to read this thread!

[Anonymous]

OP texted me separately. The country is Wakanda if that helps anyone answer in more detail.

[Anonymous]

Speaking from personal experience as my Mum died in a foreign country. Things like putting the name of the beneficiary on their bank accounts, so they'll have no problem closing the accounts and putting the beneficiaries name on the deeds for any property would help a great deal. Those two steps would save time and lawyers fees.