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I moved to NZ — my family is overseas

Few local contacts, whānau abroad, maybe assets in two countries. Here's how to plan well.

You built a new life in Aotearoa. Your parents, siblings — the people you'd trust with anything — live on the other side of the world. You may not yet have a big circle of friends here, and you might still own things back home.

Without a clear Will

  • If you die without a Will, NZ's intestacy rules apply to your NZ assets regardless of your family's wishes or your home country's customs.
  • With no local executor named, someone overseas may have to be appointed from a distance — slow, expensive, and hard to manage across time zones.
  • Assets in another country are governed by that country's law, which can conflict with your NZ Will.

With a Will

  • You can appoint a professional executor — a lawyer or a trustee company (like Public Trust or a private trustee company) — so you don't need a trusted local friend to take on the job.
  • You can leave gifts to family overseas; the executor arranges the transfer.
  • For young children, you can name a temporary guardian in NZ alongside the family member overseas you'd want to raise them.
  • You still need two witnesses in NZ — they can be neighbours, colleagues, a Justice of the Peace, or people from a community or faith group. They must not be people you're leaving anything to.

Practical guidance for NZ

  • Finding two witnesses is easier than it feels: a JP (free, at many libraries and community centres), a work colleague, or a neighbour all qualify — as long as they aren't beneficiaries.
  • Naming an overseas person as your executor is allowed but often impractical; a NZ-based professional executor usually works better.
  • If you own property or accounts in another country, you often need a separate Will or advice in that country too.

Worth getting advice on

Cross-border estates are genuinely complex. Please get NZ legal advice, and advice in your home country, so your two plans don't accidentally cancel each other out.

Ready to prepare for your own Will?

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