When it comes to protecting your assets, your family, and your wishes for the future, having both a Will and a Power of Attorney is no longer a choice but an absolute requirement. In Dubai, and throughout the UAE (including Abu Dhabi), these two legal tools function together to address various gaps.
Let’s walk through why combining them is the smartest move, especially if you have assets, financial interests, or loved ones relying on you in the UAE.
What they mean
- Power of Attorney: A Power of Attorney in Abu Dhabi or Dubai is a legal document that allows someone to act on your behalf. Making payments, managing real estate, conducting legal activities, addressing business concerns and making health-related choices in the event of illness are all examples of activities for which you could provide someone a Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney is normally valid until death, unless otherwise indicated.
- Will (e.g. Wills in Dubai, ADJD Wills in Abu Dhabi, DIFC Wills): A Will is a legal document that takes effect after a person passes away. It specifies how your assets should be allocated, who will inherit them, who will be the executor, and, in many cases, who will care for minor children. Without a properly registered Will, UAE law (including Sharia inheritance rules) is likely to apply automatically and possibly result in outcomes you did not intend.
How Wills and POAs complement each other to form a full estate plan
Putting both a Will and a Power of Attorney in place gives you a complete lifecycle plan:
- During life: If you’re away, ill, or simply busy, the POA ensures someone you trust can manage important decisions. It prevents delays, frozen bank accounts, stalled business operations, or unattended legal obligations.
- After your death: A Will clarifies guardianship for minors, names beneficiaries and appoints an executor after death. It bridges the gap and works in regions where a POA is no longer valid.
Practical steps to get started
- Make an inventory of your assets: Make a list of what you own (properties in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, bank accounts, investments, businesses) and think about who you want to manage them now, and who should inherit them later.
- Choose trustworthy agents & executors: Appoint trustworthy agents and executors who are accountable, accessible, and reliable. It is possible that the POA and executor in the Will are different people.
- Draft with local legal advice: Laws vary by emirate; formalities and costs differ. Working with a lawyer familiar with Dubai and Abu Dhabi ensures your documents are valid.
- Regularly review and update: Life changes, marriage, children, new property acquisitions, business changes, shifts in where you live, changes in law could mean your Will or POA needs updating to reflect current wishes.
A Will and a Power of Attorney in Dubai are two sides of the same coin in estate planning. A Will speaks for you after your passing. a POA works when you’re alive but perhaps unable to act fully. Together, they reduce risk, provide peace of mind, avoid delays and legal complications and help ensure your wishes are honoured.
If you simply plan with a Will, you may encounter issues with allocating legal power to enable someone to act on your behalf in your lifetime. If you rely solely on a Power of Attorney, there is no mechanism in place to distribute your assets after you die. Combining the two is a sign of smart planning, both for expats and residents.