To write a valid will in Singapore, you must be at least 21 and of sound mind, put your wishes in writing, and sign the will in front of two witnesses aged over 21, present at the same time. Choose witnesses who are not beneficiaries or married to one, or that person’s gift fails. That is all the law asks for the will itself. The harder part is knowing what a will can pass on, because some of your biggest assets may not follow it at all.
This guide sets out the rules, what to include, the choice between writing it yourself and using a lawyer, and where to keep it. It is general information, not legal advice.
The Rules for a Valid Will
The Wills Act sets the formal requirements. MoneySense summarises them in plain terms:
- Age and capacity. You must be at least 21 and of sound mind; the Wills Act says a will made by anyone under 21 is not valid. The Ministry of Law repeated the age-21 rule in a written parliamentary reply on 7 July 2026.
- In writing, and signed by you. A spoken wish or an unsigned note is not a will.
- Two witnesses, present together. Both must be over 21, and both sign in your presence. The courts’ Probate eService looks for wills where the witnesses signed in the will-maker’s presence and in each other’s presence at the same time.
- Witnesses who gain nothing. A witness must not be a beneficiary, or the spouse of a beneficiary. If one is, section 10 of the Wills Act makes that person’s gift void, though the rest of the will still stands.
A later will can revoke an earlier one, and so does marriage or remarriage. The Wills Act’s one exception is a will expressed to be made in contemplation of that marriage. If you wrote an ordinary will before your wedding, treat it as gone.
How to Write a Will, Step by Step
- List what you own and how you own it. Note whether each account or property is in your sole name or held jointly. Our legacy readiness checklist gives you a list to work through.
- Decide who receives what. Name each beneficiary clearly, say what each receives, and say what should happen if a beneficiary dies before you.
- Add a residue clause. This covers anything you forgot or acquire later, so it does not fall into intestacy.
- Choose an executor. This is the person who will apply for probate and carry out the will. Ask them first. MoneySense notes that if a beneficiary is under 21, two executors or trustees are needed to manage the estate on their behalf.
- Name guardians for any children under 21.
- Draft it. The Ministry of Law’s Will Learning Tool on MyLegacy@LifeSG walks you through what to consider and produces a Will Preparation Template. The Ministry describes it as an education tool, not a substitute for legal advice.
- Sign it properly, with both witnesses watching at the same time.
- Store it and tell your executor where it is.
The short version: A valid will needs you (21 or older, of sound mind), a written document and two independent witnesses signing together. It covers what is in your estate, but not your CPF savings, a flat held in joint tenancy or insurance with a trust nomination. Check those separately.
What a Will Can Cover, and What It Cannot
A will only passes on your estate: what you own in your own name when you die. Several common assets go another way.
| Asset | Does your will decide? | What decides instead |
|---|---|---|
| Bank account in your sole name | Yes | |
| Shares and investments in your name | Yes | |
| Personal belongings, car, jewellery | Yes | |
| Your share of a property held alone or as tenants-in-common | Yes | |
| Property held in joint tenancy | No | Passes to the surviving owner |
| Joint bank account | Generally no | Balance passes to the surviving holder, subject to the bank’s terms |
| CPF savings | No | Your CPF nomination |
| Insurance with a trust nomination | No | The nominees own the benefits |
| Insurance with a revocable nomination | It can | The latest valid nomination or will known to the insurer |
The insurance point catches people out. The Life Insurance Association’s 2026 guide says a later will revokes an earlier revocable nomination, and the insurer pays according to the latest properly made document that specifies the policy. Our guide to insurance nominations explains how to keep the two consistent.
For property and joint accounts, see what happens to joint accounts and jointly owned flats.
Writing Your Own Will vs Using a Lawyer
You can write your own will. Many people with a simple estate do: one spouse, adult children, a flat, some savings.
There is no official fee schedule for will-writing, so we do not quote prices. What a lawyer charges usually depends on:
- How many beneficiaries and assets there are, and how the estate is divided.
- Whether the will sets up a trust, for example for young children or a dependant with special needs.
- Overseas property or accounts, or a business.
- Whether the lawyer also stores the original.
A lawyer is the safer choice if any of these apply:
- A blended family, or children from more than one marriage. See our guide to estate planning after a second marriage.
- A dependant who cannot manage money, where a trust may be needed.
- Assets outside Singapore, or a business.
- Someone may challenge the will, or your health might later be questioned.
- You are Muslim. A wasiat works alongside faraid and has its own limits. See our guide to faraid and Muslim estate planning.
The Ministry of Law notes that AI tools exist that may help prepare a will, and advises care either way and professional legal advice. A template or tool cannot check that your will fits your family.
An Illustrative Example
Illustration only. Mr Lim is not a real person.
Mr Lim, 70, writes a will leaving “everything” to his two daughters equally. His flat is held in joint tenancy with his wife, so it passes to her regardless of the will. His CPF savings follow his CPF nomination, which still names his late brother. The will governs only his bank savings and shares. A single review of all three documents would have caught both gaps.
Where to Keep Your Will
Your executor will need the original. The courts ask for the original will to be presented for verification when probate is filed.
- Keep it somewhere safe and dry at home, or ask your lawyer to hold it.
- Tell your executor where it is.
- Consider depositing a record with the Wills Registry run by the Singapore Academy of Law, so your family can search for it later.
When to Review Your Will
Look at it again after a marriage (which cancels it), a divorce, a birth, the death of a beneficiary or executor, or buying or selling property. A short note of wishes alongside it can explain your reasons; see our guide to writing a letter of wishes.
A will only works after death. For decisions while you are alive but unable to make them, you need a Lasting Power of Attorney.
What To Do Next
- Use our intestacy calculator to see what would happen without a will.
- Write down what you own and whether each item is in your sole name or held jointly.
- Check your CPF nomination and your insurance nominations, since your will does not override them.
- Try the Will Learning Tool on MyLegacy@LifeSG to organise your thoughts.
- If your family or assets are complex, speak to a lawyer before you sign.
- Once signed, tell your executor where the original is kept.
- Read legacy planning: leaving money vs leaving a plan for the questions a will alone does not answer, and trusts for families if a child or dependant may need one.
