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International Marriage Will

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yobu

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

I am an American citizen. My wife is a Japanese citizen. We were married in Japan and have an official Japanese marriage certificate recognized and translated by the American consulate. We have lived and worked as a married couple in the U.S. from 1993 until now, currently residing in Florida. Neither of us have wills. Our two homes and cars have both of our names on all titles, and we are co-owners of all bank accounts. Our retirement plans and life insurance policies list each other as sole beneficiary. Until recently, I assumed that if I should die first, my wife would keep possession of all our assets. But one of my wife's coworkers informed us that the U.S. government would take a large chunk of our assets from my wife because she is not a U.S. citizen. Is this true? If so, is there a way to manage our estate so that my widowed wife would receive as much as an American citizen would (other than her becoming an American citizen)? She has kept her Japanese citizenship in the event that we might live and work in Japan again.
 



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