Help for Stay-alone Seniors to Formalise and Execute Their Wills

Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Law (a) what assistance is available to help seniors who live alone and have no family members or friends to draw up and formalise their wills; and (b) how can these seniors be sure that their wills will be accessed and executed accordingly after their death.

Members of the public are encouraged to make a Will, as it would allow them to decide how their assets should be distributed after they pass on.

Seniors who live alone can write their Will themselves or engage a third-party to help them write one. They can also consult a lawyer, for example, if their Will involves complicated arrangements. A senior needs to be of sound mind when making a Will. After they have made a Will, seniors can deposit information on their Will with the Singapore Academy of Law Wills Registry (wills.sal.sg). This will facilitate access to the Will after they have passed on.

Those who wish to write their Will themselves may refer to My Legacy@LifeSG (mylegacy.life.gov.sg), which is a one-stop Government platform that assists individuals with legacy planning and end-of-life matters. My Legacy provides step-by-step information on how to make and deposit information on their Will.

Seniors can also approach Pro Bono SG's Community Law Centres and Community Legal Clinics for legal advice and assistance with Wills. They can also obtain assistance from the Legal Aid Bureau to draft their Will and deposit information on the Will, if they pass the means test.

To ensure that their assets will be dealt with in accordance with their Will, seniors should appoint one or more executors that meet the legal requirements and are able and willing to carry out their wishes. If necessary, a professional executor, such as a lawyer, may be appointed.

Once a Will has been validly executed, the executor appointed under the Will has to apply for a Grant of Probate to deal with the testator's assets in accordance with the directions contained in the Will. In applicable cases, the executor may choose to apply for a Grant of Probate through the Family Justice Courts' Probate eService, which provides a streamlined and simplified online service for the submission of the required probate documents to the Court.

As regards safeguards, it is a matter between the beneficiaries and the executor. If the beneficiaries believe that the executor is not carrying out his duties properly, they can seek recourse in the Courts. For example, the beneficiaries of the Will may apply to the Court for relief, such as an order directing the executor to do or abstain from doing a particular act in the executor's capacity as an executor. Dishonest executors may also face criminal consequences.