When Mr Tan passed away without a will, his estate was governed by the rules of the Distribution Act 1958. His eldest daughter, Mei Ling, was appointed as the administrator but things quickly turned sour when her siblings opposed her decision to sell their late father’s house in Petaling Jaya, citing emotional ties to the...

In estate planning, I often hear clients say: “Yes, I’ve written my Will — but I don’t want to tell my family yet. They’ll find it when the time comes.” While this concern is understandable — especially when people want to avoid premature discussions or potential family tension — from a professional standpoint, not communicating...

In recent years, Malaysia has become an increasingly attractive destination for foreigners to live, work, retire, or invest. With government programmes such as Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H), more and more expatriates are choosing to make Malaysia their long-term home. As more foreigners settle down here, we’ve been getting a common estate planning question: “Can...

Many people assume that once a will is written and an executor is named, everything is settled. But what happens if the person you’ve entrusted to carry out your last wishes dies before even applying for probate? This isn’t just a legal formality, it could really delay the process and make things stressful for your...

Most people assume that wills are only for the elderly or the terminally ill. In reality, no matter your age, marital status, or health, if you own assets or have loved ones you want to protect, you should plan your will sooner rather than later. Here are five common scenarios that might apply to you...

The Myth of “One and Done” When most people write a will, they do it with good intentions—and a sense of relief. It feels like a box checked, a task completed. Something responsible adults do, especially after having kids. But here’s the truth that rarely gets said: writing a will isn’t a one-time task. It’s...