Legal Tips

If you make a will, you can:

• control who will benefit from your assets after your death. This will avoid confusion and will also make distribution faster and easier;
• choose suitable persons to be your personal representatives (also known as executors) to manage your estate, and give them specific powers;
• appoint guardians for your young children; and
• make funeral arrangements

Your assets will be distributed in accordance with:

1. Intestate Succession Act (Cap 146) if you are a non Muslim; or
2. Administration of Muslim Law Act (Cap 3) if you are a Muslim.

A Will is a legal document that governs the distribution of your assets after your death. Therefore, it is advisable to engage the help of a lawyer to write your Will.

NTUC Income provides a hassle-free and affordable Will writing service. Please feel free to email will@income.com.sg.

You have to inform your executors and the guardians, if any.

You may consider registering information on your Will at a confidential Wills Registry maintained by the Public Trustee's office. This service is free but a fee is chargeable when a search application is done for information on your Will.

For more information on Wills Registry, please click www.ipto.gov.sg

Yes. However, a Will is automatically revoked when you:

• write a new Will
• marry or re-marry.

You should consider reviewing your Will when:

• you get married;
• you get divorced;
• you dispose of assets that are set out in the Will or gain new assets;
• a beneficiary dies;
• you decide to change the beneficiaries;
• you wish to replace the executor(s), trustee(s) or guardian(s); and
• you subsequently have more children or grandchildren.

Yes, but for practical reasons, it may be advisable to make separate Wills. You should approach a lawyer for advice.

Yes, but that is if you are not making a separate Will to cover your overseas assets. You should approach a lawyer for advice on how best to deal with your overseas assets taking into account your personal circumstances.

An executor's role is to apply to the Court for a Grant of Probate, which gives formal authority to the executor and the Will. Once the Probate is granted, the executor will be authorised to take charge of your assets and distribute the assets according to your wishes as set out in your Will.

Yes, you are encouraged to do so because an executor has a responsibility to gather your assets, pay your debts (if any) and distribute your assets according to your Will.

You should approach a lawyer for assistance. You lawyer will advise you on the available options that are applicable to your personal circumstances.