Singapore Probate Lawyers
“PKWA Law packages most of its legal services with an all-inclusive fixed fee that is affordable for all." - The Straits Times
30 Years of Serving the Heartlands
We are an established probate law firm known for our affordable and transparent fees starting at just $1,390. With over 30 years of experience, we have assisted many families in securing essential grants such as the Grant of Probate (with a will) or the Grant of Letters of Administration (without a will). These Grants enable the distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
Trusted Probate Lawyers
Our team is consistently ranked as leading family lawyers by the Straits Times, Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific, Asian Legal Business, Singapore Business Review, and Doyles Guide. Our long-standing reputation has earned us the trust of major banks and corporations.
Affordable and Fixed Fees
Our probate fees are fixed, clear, and easy to understand. Our probate fees are:
- Fixed and agreed upfront
- Transparent with no hidden charges
- Designed to give you peace of mind
Professional and Efficient
We usually obtain the Grant of Probate and Letters of Administration quickly, so that the executor can efficiently carry out his duties including distributing the inheritance to the beneficiaries.
Why Choose Us?
- 30+ Years of Experience: A legacy of excellence in probate law.
- Transparent Fees: No hidden costs.
- Trusted by Major Banks: A proven track record.
- Efficient Service: Quick resolution of probate matters.
- Free Consultation: Personalized advice tailored to your needs.
Contact Us Now
For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact us today at 6854-5336 for your free consultation. Let us help you navigate the probate process with ease and confidence.
Work with an award winning team
PKWA Law has been recognised in The Straits Times ranking of “Singapore’s Best Law Firms 2025” for the fifth consecutive year.
For the 8th consecutive year we were recognised by Doyles as a leading family law firm in Singapore.
For the 5th year in a row we have been named as a leading Family law firm in Benchmark Litigation 2024 awards.
Google Rating
Based on 688 reviews
We've consistently received positive reviews from our clients on our service and results.
Why do clients choose us?
We have over 30 years of history, and more than 100 employees. We are an established family law firm you can count on.
Our fees are fixed and affordable from the outset so that you can have peace of mind from the get-go.
We have excellent reviews and testimonials from numerous clients across various independent platforms.
Our team are consistently recognized as leading lawyers by the Straits Times, and other leading publications.
We are trusted by leading corporations such as DBS, OCBC, UOB, Maybank, HSBC, Citibank, and CPF Board.
We usually offer a free first consultation so you can make an informed decision on whether to proceed.
Meet some of our probate team
- Recommended Lawyer in the 2025 list of leading family and divorce lawyers in Singapore by Doyles Guide.
- Recognised as a Family Law Rising Star for 2022, 2023, and 2024 by Doyles Guide.
- Named one of Singapore’s Rising Stars by Asian Legal Business in 2022, an accolade awarded to lawyers who exhibit exceptional talent and consistently earn client praise.
- Recognised as a Rising Star in Family Law for 2025 by Doyles Guide.
- Included in Asian Legal Business’s 2022 list of Singapore’s Rising Stars, highlighting "the next generation of lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional potential and earned significant client acclaim."
- Honoured as one of Singapore Business Review’s “Most Influential Lawyers Aged 40 and Under” in 2016, celebrated for his thought leadership, influence, and accomplishments in the legal industry.
Awards and Recognition
Derek was named one of “Singapore’s Rising Stars” in 2024 by Asian Legal Business. This prestigious list highlights “exceptional lawyers who have shown remarkable potential and garnered consistent praise from clients.”
Derek was specifically recognised for his “impressive presence in handling complex divorce cases and high-value matrimonial disputes."
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Mathea was named one of “Singapore’s Rising Stars” in 2024 by Asian Legal Business, a distinguished accolade recognizing exceptional lawyers who exhibit outstanding potential and consistently receive high client commendations.
She received particular praise for her “formidable achievements in handling complex matrimonial cases, especially those involving high-net-worth clients and international elements.” Additionally, Mathea was acknowledged for her successful management of a divorce case involving assets worth $30 million.
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Articles on Probate in Singapore
- Pay off any debts owed by the deceased
- Sell or transfer property the dead person owned
- Close their bank accounts and cash in any investments
- Distribute what remains of the Estate to the beneficiaries
The Deceased Person Made a Will
In this case, the court issues a Grant of Probate to allow the distribution of the Estate by an “Executor”, named in the Will. The Executor plays a vital role in the probate process, by ensuring the assets are located and distributed fairly to the beneficiaries. If you are making a Will, choose your named Executor carefully, because the beneficiaries will have no power to replace them following your death. Ensure they are trustworthy and capable of managing the process, which may take several months. The duties of the Executor are usually: to deal with the affairs of the deceased; set their assets; ensure any debts they owed are settled; and ensure the assets go to the beneficiaries named in the Will. Think of the Grant of Probate as the court’s way of saying that the Will is valid. Financial institutions involved in the settling of the Estate will require a Grant of Probate so they can be sure that the Will is indeed legal and valid, and the named Executor(s) are the right people to be dealing with the Estate. They won’t release funds without it.The Deceased Person Did Not Make a Will
In these circumstances, the court’s authority is given via Letters of Administration to the next of kin, and is used to allow an “Administrator” to deal with the Estate. If no Will exists, then nobody has been specifically appointed by the deceased to administer their Estate and so the law must identify the people who can apply to administer the Estate. In order of priority, these individuals are as follows:- The spouse of the deceased,
- The children
- The parents of Brother and sisters
- Nieces and nephews
- Grandparents
- Aunts and uncles
A specialist probate lawyer can help you
Our team of experienced specialist probate lawyers are ready to help you with any support you need on the subject of Wills, probate and letters of administration." ["post_title"]=> string(65) "Difference Between Grant of Probate and Letters of Administration" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(50) "difference-grant-of-probate-letters-administration" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-10-10 00:22:18" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-10-09 16:22:18" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(45) "https://singaporefamilylawyers.com.sg/?p=1628" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#8857 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(1640) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2023-06-04 20:49:58" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-06-04 12:49:58" ["post_content"]=> string(4642) "We often provide legal advice for clients who have suffered the death of their husband or wife. Very often they will not know what to do first, and will be suffering emotional turmoil. One common question is, “how can I access my spouse’s assets, to help me pay the bills?” A specialist family probate lawyer can help you to deal with the legal Estate of your spouse. They can help you gain access to their assets, enabling you and your family to manage their bank accounts, properties, any stocks or other assets they held, so you can distribute them to the correct beneficiaries. This article explains the circumstances around access a bank account held solely by the person who has passed away, and where to start. The first thing which must be done is to check if your loved one left a valid Will before they died. The first section of the article below explains what happens if there was no Will, and the second section explains what happens when a valid Will exists.(1) An Individual Dies Without Leaving a Will
When someone dies and doesn’t leave a valid Will, then usually their next of kin (such as their husband, wife, or one of their children) needs to apply to the court to get Letters of Administration. That person then becomes the named Administrator of the Estate. We have been practising probate law for many years, and so we can usually obtain the Letter of Administration within 6 weeks.- At the bank
- Go to the bank
- Prove that you are the Administrator in the Will and Letter of Administration by producing your NRIC card
- Show the Letter of Administration
- Ask the bank to release the money in the deceased’s bank account to you.
- Distribution of the money
(2) An Individual Dies Leaving a Valid Will
Following the death of someone who had already made a valid Will, a court application should be made by the Executor named in the Will, for a Grant of Probate. This is a court order that is made by the Family Justice Court, confirming that the deceased’s Will was authentic. The appointed Executor should then carry out the last wishes of the deceased person, as set out in their Will.- At the Bank, and Distributing the Money
- Go to the bank
- Prove that they are the named Executor in the Will and Grant of Probate by producing their NRIC card
- Show the Grant of Probate
- Tell the bank to release the money in the deceased’s bank account to them.
There is a Valid Will – How an Estate is Distributed
In this case the Will contains the directions as to how the estate should be distributed. It will name someone as an ‘executor’ who must apply to the court for something called a Grant of Probate. When the executor receives this, they can then approach the various financial institutions like banks and gather the deceased’s assets. They must then pay off any debts and taxes still owed, before apportioning the assets to the beneficiaries as the will instructs.There is No Valid Will – How an Estate is Distributed
In Singapore, a person is described as having died ‘intestate’ if they die without leaving a valid Will. To determine how the estate is distributed, the Intestate Succession Act must be consulted. The relatives of the deceased will inherit the assets according to the proportions set out in this act. Intestacy can also apply to assets when someone makes a Will incorrectly, and the court has declared it invalid. In conclusion, for people dying without a Will, the state ultimately decides what happens to your assets, via the Intestate Succession Act, and you have no deciding role to play. It is for this reason that, as a law firm, we advise all our clients to make a Will; it ensures they get to decide who should manage their estate, and who inherits their assets after their death.What Happens to the Assets of an Intestate Person?
- The assets are frozen
- To access bank accounts in the sole name of the deceased, the next of kin need to apply for probate to obtain the money in them
- To transfer or sell an HDB flat or other private property in the sole name of the deceased, then the next of kin must apply for probate
- To enable an insurance policy to be paid out, the insurance company will ask to see either the Grant of Probate or the Letters of Administration, to ensure they are paying out to an authorised individual.
- Where the deceased had a car, or shares, then in order to transfer or sell that property, proof of probate is required.
- Next of kin must apply for Letters of Administration to unfreeze the assets
- Spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Sisters and brother
- Nieces and nephews
- Grandparents
- Aunts and uncles
- The assets will be used by the administrator to pay off debts
- Assets are distributed to surviving family members under the Intestate Succession Act
- The Intestate Succession Act sets out how much the beneficiaries inherit
- There is a spouse (but no children or parents): the spouse gets everything.
- There is a spouse and children: spouse gets half of the assets, the children get the other half in equal shares.
- There are children but no spouse: children share everything equally.
- There is a spouse and parents, but no children: spouse gets half, parents get the other half in equal shares.
- There are only parents (no spouse or children): parents get everything in equal shares).
- There are only brothers and/or sisters (no spouse, children or parents): the brothers and sisters (or children of the deceased brothers or sisters) share everything equally.
- There are only grandparents (no spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, or children of deceased brothers or sisters): grandparents share everything equally.
- There are only aunts and/or uncles (no spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, children of deceased brothers or sisters, or grandparents): uncles and aunts inherit everything shared equally.
Contact a specialist estate lawyer
It’s often overwhelming and emotionally very stressful to deal with a loved one’s estate in the aftermath of their death. Our probate lawyers are always compassionate and professional when dealing with clients at this sensitive time, and can help them through probate or estate administration." ["post_title"]=> string(62) "If A Person Dies Without a Will, What Happens to Their Assets?" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(40) "dies-without-will-what-happens-to-assets" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2023-10-10 00:22:07" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2023-10-09 16:22:07" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(45) "https://singaporefamilylawyers.com.sg/?p=1634" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } }Contact Us
Call Us:
+65 6854 5336
WhatsApp Us:
+65 9090 3158
Email Us:
enquiry@pkwalaw.com
Address:
480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
#16-01, East Wing, HBD Hub,
Singapore 310480
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