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ARTICLE · 31 JULY 2026

Capacity Across Borders: Future-Proofing International Assets And Decision-Making

Withers LLP
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The internationalization of wealth combined with people living longer and the prevalence of dementia means that it is increasingly important to think about who looks after your affairs if you are not able to.

GlobalFamily and Matrimonial
Alice Tomlin
Alice Tomlin
Julia Abrey
Julia Abrey
Stephen Richards
Stephen Richards
Billy Ko
Billy Ko
Philippa Hewitt
Philippa Hewitt
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The internationalization of wealth combined with people living longer and the prevalence of dementia means that it is increasingly important to think about who looks after your affairs if you are not able to.

A person may live in one country, hold assets in another, and receive care or treatment in a third. This is particularly common for internationally mobile families with connections to jurisdictions such as Hong Kong and England, where differing legal frameworks can create complications if capacity is lost. When that person loses capacity, advisers and families often discover that the legal frameworks governing decision-making and representation do not align. The result can be delay, uncertainty, cost and significant practical difficulty at precisely the moment when clarity is most needed.

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