Gordon Barlow

Our son owns a cabin in Norway, and wants to leave it (and whatever else he has) to his children in a Will. Can anybody tell me what the general procedures are, please? I assume a Will must name an executor and a trustee; if so, can that person be a foreigner? (It would be me or my wife, who don't live in Norway.) Do two witnesses have to sign in each other's presence, as for English Wills?

Thanks for any help. It would be much appreciated.

JAJ

Perhaps it would be a better idea to consult a Norwegian lawyer.

Does Norway have forced heirship laws? In other words, he may not be free to leave it to whomever he likes.

Would Norway accept a foreign will, which included Norwegian property? (subject to its local probate process and forced heirship laws). Or would a separate Norwegian will be required. If so, having two simultaneously valid wills makes things a lot more complex.

Does Norway have an estate or inheritance tax? Or would Norway levy capital gains tax at death? If son is U.K. domiciled then the property is within the scope of U.K. Inheritance Tax, is there any tax treaty or scope for tax relief if Norway also levies a tax?

Gordon Barlow

Thanks for taking the time and trouble, J. Yes I think he will have to see a local lawyer, but I wanted to find out if there was a quick way that would do at a pinch. He's a UK national, but has lived there only briefly many years ago and is domiciled in Norway and has three young Norwegian children. He has no outside assets to speak of. The children would be his sole beneficiaries, so there may well be a problem with foreign executor and trustees - namely, his mother and me. We are domiciled here in Cayman in the Caribbean - a UK territory with no death duties (or income tax).

Thanks again. I'll be hoping someone else can add to what you've told me.