Residents aged 35–44 record the strongest growth in enquiries as family protection, guardianship and increasingly complex assets reshape estate planning
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 2026 – Expatriate families are addressing estate planning earlier as they build deeper personal and financial roots in the UAE, according to a new consumer trends report from Just Wills Legal Consultants.
The findings indicate that Wills are increasingly being viewed as a practical means of protecting family wealth and responsibilities rather than a document to be considered only later in life. Property ownership, parenthood, marriage and business formation are among the key events prompting residents to examine how their assets and family arrangements would be managed in their absence.
Just Wills currently receives approximately 100 to 150 individual consumer enquiries each month. While 30% to 40% of enquiries convert into completed Wills over time, the company has recorded a 20% increase in conversions compared with the preceding 12-month period.
According to the report, the shift is being driven not only by greater awareness but also by the changing quality of consumer enquiries. Residents are approaching the process with a stronger understanding of estate planning, asking more specific questions and demonstrating a clearer intention to proceed.
Residents aged 45–54 continue to account for the largest proportion of enquiries, but the strongest increase over the past year has come from those aged 35–44. This suggests that estate planning is moving earlier in consumers’ financial lives as more expatriates purchase property, raise families and establish businesses in the UAE.
Parents and property owners remain the strongest consumer groups. Approximately 60% of clients have children, while a similar proportion own property in the UAE. Around half identify guardianship as an important reason for drafting a Will.
For parents, the concerns extend beyond determining who would inherit their assets. Many want greater clarity over who would care for their children if both parents died, how guardianship arrangements would work in practice and how the wealth intended for their children would be protected and managed.
“For many expatriate families, the UAE is no longer a temporary chapter. It is where they own a home, hold savings, raise children and build businesses,” said Sameer Marria, Managing Director of Just Wills Legal Consultants.
“The question is not simply who receives an asset, but how the wealth and responsibilities a person leaves behind can continue to support their family. This is why we are seeing residents act earlier and approach estate planning with much clearer intentions.”
The report also highlights how the nature of family wealth is becoming more complex. In addition to property, savings and bank accounts, estate-planning discussions increasingly involve investment portfolios, business interests, cryptocurrency and other digital assets.
For business owners, the concern can extend beyond inheritance to continuity, including who would assume control of the business and how its value would be protected if the founder died.
Long-term residents are generally more likely to seek estate-planning advice because their financial exposure in the UAE increases over time. Purchasing property, accumulating savings, building a company and raising children can create separate legal and practical considerations that may not be addressed by assumptions based on another country.
Despite improving awareness, several misconceptions continue to delay action. These include the belief that assets will automatically pass to a spouse, that a Will prepared overseas will deal seamlessly with UAE-based assets, or that naming someone as a nominee automatically makes that person the final beneficiary.
Others continue to associate Wills with old age or substantial wealth, despite already having children, savings, property or business interests that require protection.
However, consumer conversations are becoming more informed. Rather than asking only why a Will may be necessary, residents are increasingly seeking guidance on how guardianship, property, investments, businesses and international or digital assets should work together as part of a coordinated estate plan.
As residents establish deeper personal and financial roots in the UAE, Will planning is becoming a more established part of household financial planning. Major life milestones, including purchasing property, having children and starting a business, are increasingly prompting families to consider how their assets and responsibilities would be managed in their absence.
About Just Wills Legal Consultants:
Just Wills Legal Consultants provides estate-planning and succession services to individuals, families and businesses in the UAE. The company advises clients on Wills, guardianship, probate, inheritance planning and cross-border estate matters.
Notes to Editors
The figures in this release are based on Just Wills Legal Consultants’ internal consumer enquiry patterns and client profile estimates. The company currently receives approximately 100 to 150 individual consumer enquiries each month. The 20% figure refers to the increase in enquiry conversions recorded over the past 12 months compared with the preceding 12-month period. Enquiry-to-completion timelines vary, as some consumers return later in the year to proceed.
