Writing a will

[Mrblobby]

Hello.

I think this is the right place for this one.

As I continue to sort out money issues and thoughts about the future, the subject of wills has arisen.

It seems you can write your own and get it filed at the local office. Handwritten and cheap to do.
Getting official types to do it becomes much more expensive.

Given that our situation is extremely simple, I am thinking that might be sufficient.

We have no children.
Me and the wife simply want to leave the other 100% of everything when one dies.
That's it.
(Below is a sample I found online that apparently covers that. I could probably just about manage that, even if it would like like a 5 year old writing!)

Anyone any experience with wills here that they might share?

Thanks.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>


　遺言書

遺言者山田太郎(昭和○○年○○月○○日生)は次のとおり遺言する。

第1条　遺言者は、遺言者の有する不動産、動産、預貯金、現金その他一切の財産を、妻山田花子(昭和○○年○○月○○日生)に相続させる。

第２条　遺言者は、この遺言の執行者として前記妻山田花子を指定する。

１． 遺言者は、遺言執行者に次の権限を授与する。

（１）　預貯金等の相続財産の名義変更、解約及び払戻し

（２）　貸金庫の開扉、解約及び内容物の取出し

（３）　その他本遺言を執行するために必要な一切の行為をする権限

２． 遺言執行者は、この遺言の執行に関し、専門職の第三者にその任務を行わせることができる。

令和○○年○○月○○日

東京都渋谷区○町○丁目○番地○

遺言者　山田　太郎　印

[RetireJapan]

Doing one through a notary as we speak. Will write a blog post/make a video about it once everything is finished

[Mrblobby]

Great, will look forward to that.

I do wonder, in our case, if it's worth the cost of the notary --- given that what we want is so simple. (Well, in theory!)

Thanks.

[Deep Blue]

Some great information on this site. One thing to bear in mind is that the will might not be the way the assets end up being divided. If your wife’s parents survive her, they are entitled to a portion of her assets for example.

https://englishlawyersjapan.com/how-is- ... -in-japan/

[adamu]

Wiki page https://retirewiki.jp/wiki/Making_a_will

[Tkydon]

Hello.

I think this is the right place for this one.

As I continue to sort out money issues and thoughts about the future, the subject of wills has arisen.

It seems you can write your own and get it filed at the local office. Handwritten and cheap to do.
Getting official types to do it becomes much more expensive.

Given that our situation is extremely simple, I am thinking that might be sufficient.

We have no children.
Me and the wife simply want to leave the other 100% of everything when one dies.
That's it.
(Below is a sample I found online that apparently covers that. I could probably just about manage that, even if it would like like a 5 year old writing!)

Anyone any experience with wills here that they might share?

Thanks.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>


　遺言書

遺言者山田太郎(昭和○○年○○月○○日生)は次のとおり遺言する。

第1条　遺言者は、遺言者の有する不動産、動産、預貯金、現金その他一切の財産を、妻山田花子(昭和○○年○○月○○日生)に相続させる。

第２条　遺言者は、この遺言の執行者として前記妻山田花子を指定する。

１． 遺言者は、遺言執行者に次の権限を授与する。

（１）　預貯金等の相続財産の名義変更、解約及び払戻し

（２）　貸金庫の開扉、解約及び内容物の取出し

（３）　その他本遺言を執行するために必要な一切の行為をする権限

２． 遺言執行者は、この遺言の執行に関し、専門職の第三者にその任務を行わせることができる。

令和○○年○○月○○日

東京都渋谷区○町○丁目○番地○

遺言者　山田　太郎　印

If you have no children, and one of you dies, the parents or Siblings of the deceased may also have a call on the Estate through the Statutory Shares or Posthumously retained distributive shares (iryuubun). See:

https://retirewiki.jp/wiki/Inheritance_tax

[Mrblobby]

(Thanks)

Even if we both have legal wills clearly stating the, er, will to leave 100% to the other?
That seems strange. (Though that's never a good reason for some of these rules it is?!)

[Deep Blue]

The other statutory heirs can challenge the will if the asset division is not in line with the statutory requirements, from what I can understand.

It’s a very different system to most of the systems in the West.

I’ve tried to organize our “death affairs” a couple of times and have given up a couple of times - it’s very difficult to prepare for especially if you are not sure where you’ll be residing when you die.

The best advice on purely financial terms is “don’t die in Japan”.

[RetireJapan]

It’s a very different system to most of the systems in the West.

France has a similar system I believe. The idea is that close family cannot be written out of the will entirely. I can see the logic behind that.

[adamu]

“don’t die in Japan”.

Or die with zero assets