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Posts by thingymebob  

Joined: 2 Sep 2018 / Female ♀
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thingymebob   
2 Sep 2018
Law / Inheritance Law in Poland (protecting myself from in laws) [25]

Husband is Polish, I'm not, and we are both one of five siblings. Although we both come from working class backgrounds, his parents are worse off than mine. I'm the primary earner in our relationship as in I earn twice his salary but still not huge earnings (together we are around €85k gross). I've been lucky in savings and investments before we married plus afterwards, and have a healthy private pension and state entitlements.

Due to an inheritance from my godmother we are in a position to buy an apartment or house in Poland as an investment with the intention of retiring there. We have no children unfortunately and already have a home where we live (with a mortgage). I'm happy with that. I like Poland, visit often (more often than him), and qualms. The only thing that does worry me is that if he passes before me, that his parents and/or siblings can claim the Polish property or indeed any assets held abroad. I read somewhere that they could claim he had an obligation to provide for them??

My MIL already regularly asks for large sums of money as does the eldest brother, and while we've been happy to help on some occasions, when we don't, the atmosphere gets quite tense. As an example, we've paid for a bathroom renovation, a kitchen renovation, and a new roof. The BIL has been hinting for money to buy a car now he has a child, and after a year of not so subtle hints, last month asked outright for 25,000zł. When we declined, my husband got an ear ache about family loyalty. I know often he uses the excuse of me being the bigger earner and saying 'No' but it's a joint decision. We send money for the start of the school year for the younger siblings (big age gap of almost 15 years in the middle) and have paid for laptops etc. There seems to be an expectation that as we are earning in euros, we have lots of money when we don't, we're just careful. So it's not like we're mean, but equally my own family don't ask or expect money, and our gifting towards my nieces and nephews is at a much lower value.

I don't want to be in a situation where my in laws grab everything if my husband dies. Is there a legal obligation to provide for them? Is there any way around it?
thingymebob   
2 Sep 2018
Law / Inheritance Law in Poland (protecting myself from in laws) [25]

I absolutely loved Poland when I came here for long summers, and christmas card winters.

Surprisingly most of my visits have been late October through February, ony ever been in Poland twice in the summer.

What part of Poland are you going to be living in? Eastern Europe or Central Europe?

We are looking at Wroclaw where we have visited a few times and both have friends, or perhaps Gorzów Wielkopolski. If we go for a house, it'll be Gorzów Wielkopolski, Wroclaw if it's an apartment Our budget is around 400,000zl,so if we need more it'll be a mortgage. His family are from a small town near Gdansk, but the aforementioned BIL is in Poznan.

It matters for some immigrants (if you're devout catholic, and don't mind nosy neighbours, scrub that)

I'm non religious - our family is culturally Catholic in a very loose manner, but we turn up for 'hatches, matches, and dispatches', we never make it to Communion.

My Polish is terrible, it's my big failure in life - inexplicably crap at any language apart from English to my embarrassment.

@cms_neuf

Your brother in law has some nerve - why have a kid if he cant support it ?

Oh you have no idea. They've also suggested that we could help with the IVF costs as SIL,is struggling to get pregnant with #2. Given I can't have one I thought that was a very kind and selfless suggestion on their part. The middle two siblings (early 20s) are ok, but the youngest BIL is cut from the same cloth as the eldest BIL, and he's only 14.

@cms_neuf

See a lawyer but as G says it might be best to put it in your own name though if you die first then it might be that your husband is back to square 1

That might not be an option currently as I'm Australian and non-EU and I think I'd need approval as a foreigner. I've been dragging my heels over getting EU citizenship, but I think I'm going to need to.

Thankfully we have 20+ years before we retire. I'm hoping that I'll be able to do some work part time, not for the financial benefit but for the social interaction with a multinational or similar as I'm currently doing a PhD part time. But that's a very long way away to be thinking about,
thingymebob   
2 Sep 2018
Law / Inheritance Law in Poland (protecting myself from in laws) [25]

I'm perfectly happy for my husband to have the lot if I die first, he can do as he likes. What is mine is his and what is his mine. I just don't want to be in a position where members of his family swoop in and take chunks of our assets under some weird family law if he passes before me and I end up impoverished after carefully planning both mine and my husband's retirements.

My FIL is a great guy, just seems to have had a hard run with my MIL. They're 60 and 63, and apart from some alcohol related health problems (him) and diabetes (her), are in good health.

So a will in our residence country, recorded in my native country and notarised in Poland, but legal advice from a Polish specialist first.

Any recommendations on an English speaking Polish lawyer in Wroclaw via PM please
thingymebob   
2 Sep 2018
Law / Inheritance Law in Poland (protecting myself from in laws) [25]

Ok, this section suggests that my husband can choose which nationality takes precedence in inheritance law

europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/family/inheritances/planning-inheritance/index_en.htm

He has dual nationality (Polish and Irish), and it mentions Irish citizens can use this law. Would it determine the distribution of Polish assets?
thingymebob   
2 Sep 2018
Law / Inheritance Law in Poland (protecting myself from in laws) [25]

Definitely won't be getting Polish citizenship. I have dual nationality now but both non EU countries. I'm further eligible for citizenship of two EU countries but never pursued it as I have residency status after being here 15 years. One EU country due to cost and anger at their bureaucrats ability to lose everything (including my passports twice), the other EU country due to the language test. I might have to swallow my anger or use the language apps more often, and get citizenship after all.

Husband is having six fits at the idea of having to pay his mother maintenance, and is thinking of disconnecting his number and 'disappearing'. Buying a property in Portugal is becoming more appealing
thingymebob   
3 Sep 2018
Law / Inheritance Law in Poland (protecting myself from in laws) [25]

100% certain I won't be getting Polish citizenship. I have the choice of two other EU countries, so I'm safe.

As long as it's to your nearest and dearest, that works. Any deviation, and that will is worthless.

That's unfortunately our issue. We've both been self sufficient for 20 years plus, and have contributed to our families repeatedly. Our parents didn't attend our wedding, and we see them maybe once a year, so couldn't be described as close. My husband frequently feels like an ATM that has to say 'Insufficient Funds' to get a break, so this has been a surprise. Hopefully he can invoke Irish Law in the will so they can keep their hands off our assets.