Only 22% of Singaporeans have a will. Here's what happens to the other 78%

Most Singaporeans mean to write a will. Few actually do — only around 22% have one. The rest are, legally speaking, leaving the decision to a formula.

What "intestate" actually means

If you die without a valid will, you die intestate. The Intestate Succession Act then distributes your estate in fixed proportions — regardless of what you would have wanted. A common surprise: depending on who survives you, your spouse may not receive everything; it can be split with parents or children in set shares.

It's slower and costlier for your family

Without a will there's no named executor, so someone must apply to court for Letters of Administration before anything can be distributed — often with added requirements like sureties. That means more time, more cost, and more stress for grieving family.

The unclaimed-money problem

Roughly S$278 million sits with the Public Trustee unclaimed — including about S$184 million of CPF that was never nominated. Money that was meant for families, stuck in limbo because the paperwork was never done.

A will is simpler than people fear

A straightforward will — naming beneficiaries, an executor, and guardians for children — can be done in a single unhurried conversation. You don't need a lawyer for a valid will in Singapore, though complex estates benefit from one.

Sources: SmartWealth / estate-planning statistics Singapore 2026; Public Trustee's Office (unclaimed monies); Intestate Succession Act.

General information, not legal advice. Rules and figures change — confirm current details before acting.