When someone you love has died and there’s paperwork waiting
Losing someone is hard enough. Then you look around and realise the HDB, the bank, the CPF, and maybe an insurer are all asking for a document you’ve never heard of: a grant of probate.
I’m Wahab. I run A.W. Law LLC in Chinatown, and I’ve sat with many families going through exactly this. You’ve got a folder of old letters, a will you’re not sure is the latest one, and a cousin asking questions you don’t want to answer yet.
This page is for you if a relative or friend has passed away and you’re trying to work out what happens to their estate. The first 10 minutes are free, and nothing commits you.
What probate in Singapore actually is
Probate is the court’s stamp of approval on a will. It gives the executor, the person named in the will to handle the estate, the legal power to collect the assets, pay the debts, and give the rest to the beneficiaries.
In Singapore, probate is handled by the Family Justice Courts, under two main laws: the Probate and Administration Act and the Wills Act. For Muslims, inheritance rules under Syariah (faraid) also apply. If there is no will, the next-of-kin must apply for letters of administration instead, and the estate is split under the Intestate Succession Act along fixed shares.
A grant of probate application has four main parts:
- Death certificate and original will. The court needs to see both.
- Schedule of assets. A written list of everything the person owned in Singapore: HDB, CPF, bank accounts, insurance, shares, cars, overseas accounts. Plus what they owed.
- Executor’s oath. A signed statement from the executor promising to do the job honestly.
- Court filing. Everything goes into the Family Justice Courts through eLitigation, the court’s online system.
If no one files a caveat (a formal objection), and the paperwork is clean, the grant of probate usually issues in 3 to 6 months.
Probate only covers assets that sit in the estate. It does not cover CPF money (that goes to whoever was named in the CPF nomination) or joint bank accounts (the surviving holder keeps them). We’ll walk through what’s in and out at the first meeting.
When probate is the right next step
Before any paperwork, I ask a few questions.
- Is there a will? If yes, it’s probate. If no, it’s letters of administration. If you’re not sure, bring what you have and we’ll figure it out together.
- Who is the named executor? That’s the person who has the right to apply. If you’re not the executor, you can still help, but the executor signs.
- What’s actually in the estate? Sometimes the estate is small enough that full probate isn’t needed. The Public Trustee handles small estates under a certain threshold.
- Is anyone already disputing things? If a sibling has been talking to another lawyer, or a beneficiary has threatened to file a caveat, tell me now. It changes the approach.
The three situations we see most often:
- Clean estate, everyone agrees. This is the standard path. Flat fee, 3 to 6 months, straightforward.
- Missing paperwork, or a will that might not be the latest. Common. We help you trace the latest version and make sure you’re applying on the right document.
- Family disagreement. A beneficiary questions the will, or a relative who isn’t named wants a share. This becomes a contested matter and can take a year or more. See our deeper guide on how to contest a will in Singapore.
If the deceased was married or had young children, estate planning for the surviving family often needs attention too. Our post on estate planning for parents in Singapore walks through this. For a surviving spouse who was already in divorce proceedings when their partner died, some of the rules shift, and our divorce page may be relevant.
What to expect from a Singapore probate, honestly
I’d rather tell you the truth now than have you surprised later.
How long it takes.
For a clean, uncontested estate, the grant of probate usually issues 3 to 6 months after filing. Very small estates can move faster. If a caveat is filed, or the will is challenged, expect 1 year or more. Court queues, Inland Revenue clearance for CPF and HDB, and overseas assets all add weeks.
How much it costs.
A simple, uncontested probate at A.W. Law runs S$2,500 to S$6,000, depending on how many assets the estate holds and how many beneficiaries are involved. Contested probate costs more, priced by stages. The 10-min Discovery Session is always free. We give you a written quote before any paid work starts. Court filing fees for probate generally come out of the estate itself, not your own pocket.
What’s hard.
Two things.
One, the emotional layer. You’re handling bank statements and HDB letters while still grieving. That’s normal, and you don’t have to do it all at once. We can pace the work around you.
Two, the family conversations. Sometimes the will surprises a sibling, or a CPF nomination overrides what people assumed. We can draft a short, neutral letter explaining what the will says and what you’re doing. That often takes the heat off.
How we handle probate at A.W. Law
A few things we do differently:
- One lawyer, from start to end. No passing you around. Whoever takes your first meeting sees it through to the grant and the final distribution.
- A written schedule of fees before anything paid starts. Flat fees where we can. You should never get a surprise bill.
- Letters in simple terms. Every document we ask you to sign gets explained. If we can’t explain it, we shouldn’t be asking you to sign it.
- WhatsApp until 10pm on weekdays. You’ll often think of things in the evening. Message us.
- Languages. English, Malay, or Tamil.
- No pushing. If the estate is small enough to handle through the Public Trustee, or if waiting is smarter than rushing, I’ll say so.
We’re at 133 New Bridge Road, #20-03 Chinatown Point. Two minutes’ walk from Chinatown MRT, Exit E.
What happens next
If someone close to you has died and there’s paperwork waiting, the next step is simple. Book a free 10-min Probate Discovery Session using the form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp from the button on the screen.
Nothing commits you. Most sessions end with a short checklist of things to gather (death certificate, original will, rough list of assets) and a clear view of the likely timeline and cost. If you’re also thinking about writing your own will while you deal with this, see our will drafting page, or the combined wills and probate service.
