Getting your affairs in order is not a morbid exercise — it is the most considered thing you can do for the people you love.
A home. A business. Savings accumulated over decades. Perhaps assets across more than one country. Most people who have reached this point carry a quiet awareness that something should be done — and a tendency to put it off, because the conversation feels heavy.
Estate planning is where that conversation begins. It is not about preparing for death; it is about ensuring that what you have built reaches the people you intend it to reach, in the way you intend, without unnecessary cost, delay, or conflict.
The stakes rise the moment complexity enters the picture. Children from a previous relationship. A family member who needs lifelong support. Assets held in a foreign jurisdiction. A will drafted twenty years ago that no longer reflects your life. A business with no clear succession. Each of these adds a layer of planning that a standard will cannot address on its own.
We work with clients across the full scope of estate planning — from a straightforward will for a young professional to a multi-jurisdictional structure for a family with assets in Singapore, overseas property, and a family company to consider. Where the structure warrants it, we bring in the cross-border corporate expertise of Beyond Horizons, our Chambers Asia-Pacific-ranked affiliate, to handle the parts that cross into company and finance law.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is part of the same conversation. What happens if you lose mental capacity before you lose your life? Who makes decisions about your money, your medical care, your home? Leaving this unanswered does not protect anyone — it creates a different and harder problem. We address both in the same planning process, so nothing is left exposed.
Estate planning done properly is a document and a conversation. We ask the questions that draw out what you actually want — not just who gets what, but how, when, and under what conditions. That is where the work is.
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The value of your estate is less relevant than what happens without a will. If you die intestate, the Intestate Succession Act determines how your estate is distributed — which may not reflect your intentions, and which can create significant delays and complications for the people you leave behind. A will is also the mechanism for appointing your choice of executor and, if you have children, stating your guardianship wishes. It is rarely as expensive or complex as people assume.
An LPA is a legal document that authorises a person you trust — your donee — to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity. Without one, your family may need to apply to court for a deputyship order, which is slower, more expensive, and subject to ongoing court supervision. An LPA can cover personal welfare decisions (medical, residential) and/or property and financial affairs. We advise on who to appoint and how to structure the authority granted.
CPF savings do not form part of your estate and cannot be disposed of by will. They are distributed according to your CPF nomination, or — in the absence of a nomination — in accordance with the Intestate Succession Act (for non-Muslims) or the Administration of Muslim Law Act (for Muslims). We frequently encounter clients who have made a will but have not updated their CPF nomination, resulting in a distribution that does not reflect their overall wishes.
A testamentary trust is a trust created by your will that comes into effect on death. It is typically used to protect assets for minor children (who cannot inherit directly), beneficiaries who are not financially mature, or individuals with special needs who must not lose means-tested government support. We draft testamentary trusts that reflect the specific circumstances of each family, rather than using generic structures.
Cross-border estate planning requires considering each jurisdiction's laws on succession, tax, and the recognition of foreign wills. Some countries apply forced heirship rules that override your will. Others impose estate or inheritance taxes that Singapore does not. We advise on which assets should be covered by which instrument, and whether a separate will for overseas assets or an appropriate trust structure is warranted.
The first 30 minutes are complimentary — and genuinely without obligation.
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