Wills, probate and estates, explained plainly
General information on making a will and on what happens to an estate after a death in Singapore. Read up first, then speak with a lawyer about your own situation.
Wills, probate & estates guides
Making a will, planning ahead, and applying for a grant and settling an estate after a death.
Planning ahead
3 articles
Signing a will so that it stands: the formal rules
Most of the rules that decide whether a will is valid concern the moment of signing. Getting that moment right avoids much of the risk of a later dispute.
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A will and a Lasting Power of Attorney: two documents, two jobs
People often assume a will covers everything. It says nothing about the years in which someone is alive but unable to manage their own affairs, which is the gap a Lasting Power of Attorney fills.
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CPF, insurance and jointly owned property: keeping them in step with your will
A will controls less than many people expect. Several large assets are settled by nominations or by how property is held, so those arrangements need to agree with the will.
Read the guideAfter a death
4 articles
Dying without a will: how Singapore law divides the estate
Without a valid will, nobody gets to choose who inherits. A statute sets the shares, and they follow the family tree in a fixed order.
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Applying for letters of administration: the steps in order
When someone dies without a will, a close relative must be appointed by the court before the estate can be handled. This is the usual sequence.
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Named as an executor: what to do first
An executor's job starts at the death, well before anything is handed to a beneficiary. These are the early tasks and the order they usually come in.
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When someone domiciled abroad leaves assets in Singapore
Families overseas often find that a probate or administration grant from their own courts is not accepted by Singapore banks. Resealing that grant, or obtaining a new one, is the way through.
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