Dying without a will in Singapore
If you die without a will in Singapore, you die "intestate". Your assets are then divided under the Intestate Succession Act, by a fixed formula that takes no account of your wishes, your promises, or your family's actual needs. This guide walks through what that means in practice.
Note for Muslim families: the Intestate Succession Act does not apply to Muslims. Muslim estates in Singapore are distributed under Islamic inheritance law instead. The rest of this guide covers non Muslim estates.
Who gets what under the law
These are the most common situations under the fixed formula:
| Your family situation | How the law divides your estate |
|---|---|
| Spouse, no children, no parents | Spouse receives everything |
| Spouse and children | Spouse receives half. Children share the other half equally |
| Children only | Children share everything equally |
| Spouse and parents, no children | Spouse receives half. Parents share the other half |
| Parents only | Parents share everything |
| No spouse, children, or parents | Goes to siblings, then grandparents, then uncles and aunts, in that order |
| No family in any of these categories | Everything goes to the Government |
What surprises people most
- Your spouse does not automatically get everything if you have children or living parents.
- Unmarried partners receive nothing, no matter how long you have been together.
- Stepchildren you never adopted receive nothing.
- The formula cannot give more to a child with greater needs. Equal shares, full stop.
It is slower and harder for your family
Without a will, someone must apply to court for Letters of Administration before they can touch your assets. The court decides who administers your estate, and the process is generally slower and more involved than probate with a valid will. While it runs, bank accounts are frozen. Your family handles all of this while grieving.
Your children's guardian
A will is one of the main ways parents can appoint a guardian for their children; Singapore law also permits an appointment by deed. Without an appointment in place, the court decides, guided by the child's welfare, and relatives may not agree on the answer. For parents of young children, this alone is reason enough to put an appointment in writing.
What a will costs, in perspective
A straightforward will in Singapore is not expensive, and it does not require a lawyer, though it must be signed correctly before two independent witnesses to be valid. Measured against months of delay, frozen accounts and a fixed formula that ignores your wishes, it is one of the cheapest documents you will ever sign.
Official sources and further reading
- Singapore Statutes Online: Intestate Succession Act (sso.agc.gov.sg)
- Singapore Statutes Online: Wills Act (sso.agc.gov.sg)
- Singapore Statutes Online: Guardianship of Infants Act (sso.agc.gov.sg)
Last reviewed: July 2026.
Find out where you stand in three minutes
Our complimentary readiness check looks at your will, CPF nomination, LPA and more, and shows you the gaps.
Take the readiness check