Inheritance law
Legal heirs?
In Singapore, inheritance matters are governed primarily by the Intestate Succession Act and the Wills Act. The distribution of a deceased person’s estate is determined based on whether the deceased has left behind a valid will. If there is no will, the Intestate Succession Act dictates the order of inheritance.
Legal Heirs and Statutory Order of Inheritance
With a Valid Will
If the deceased left a valid will, the distribution of the estate is governed by the provisions in the will. The testator (the person who made the will) has the freedom to allocate their estate as they wish, within the bounds of Singapore law.
Without a Will (Intestate Succession)
The primary heirs are the deceased’s direct descendants, such as children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. If there are surviving children, they inherit the estate in equal shares. If a child has predeceased the deceased, that child’s share is distributed among their own children (the deceased’s grandchildren).
If there are no surviving descendants, the estate goes to the deceased’s spouse and parents. If both the spouse and parents are alive, the estate is divided between them, with the spouse receiving a larger portion.
In the absence of a spouse, descendants, or parents, the estate is distributed among the deceased’s siblings and their descendants. If siblings have predeceased the deceased, their share is passed to their own children (the deceased’s nieces and nephews).
If there are no surviving heirs in the previous lines, the estate passes to the deceased’s grandparents and their descendants. If no grandparents are alive, the estate will be distributed to the great-grandparents and their descendants.
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