Making a will is only the first step. You should keep the original safe, make sure your executor or family know where it is, review it when your circumstances change, and never amend it by hand. This guide explains each of these, together with the Wills Registry.
Where should I keep my will and who should know about it? #
Having made a will, if your family members or your named executor(s) do not know that you have made a will or how to locate it, this will defeat the whole purpose of making a will. It is therefore important to inform your executor(s) and/or your close ones of the whereabouts of your original will.
If you have engaged a lawyer to prepare your will, you may also request your lawyer to lodge the requisite form at the Wills Registry, now managed by the Singapore Academy of Law. The form states brief particulars of your will (without its contents), so that upon your death your personal representatives can make a search at the Wills Registry on whether you have made a will. This will facilitate your family members in locating your will or finding out whether you have made one.
What is the Wills Registry in Singapore? #
The Wills Registry is a confidential registry established under the Ministry of Law and formerly maintained by the Public Trustee’s Office. Since 4 May 2020, it has been managed by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) at wills.sal.sg. It is a national database where you can deposit information about a person’s will, such as who drew up the will and where it is held. It does not keep custody of your will nor its contents.
The purpose of the Wills Registry is to provide a convenient way for individuals to store skeletal information about their wills, and to enable next of kin to search the registry to ascertain whether a person made a will during his lifetime. The service is optional, so the registry is not a comprehensive record of all wills.
Registration is not required for validity. A Singapore will need not be registered with any authority to be valid, and your original will or a copy of it cannot be deposited at the Wills Registry. Depositing your will information is done by paying the relevant fee, and the registry records only brief particulars such as the date of your will, not its contents. For the requirements of a valid will, see our guide on wills in Singapore.
When should I review my will? #
If you marry or re-marry, your will is nullified or cancelled unless the will was made in contemplation of your marriage.
You should review your will if any of the following happens:
- You change your name, or anyone mentioned in the will changes his.
- An executor or trustee dies or becomes unsuitable to act due to age or ill-health.
- A beneficiary dies.
- You subsequently sell or part with any property mentioned in the will.
- There is any significant change in circumstances, eg. you acquire property or assets which have not been mentioned in your will.
It is advisable to review your will regularly or whenever there are changes to your personal circumstances. Remember also that your CPF monies are dealt with by CPF nomination and not by your will, and marriage affects a CPF nomination too. See our guide on CPF money, CPF nominations and your will.
Can I amend my will myself? #
No. You should never attempt to change your will by crossing parts out, adding words in, or attaching anything to it. If you do so, your will may become ineffective or invalid.
If you wish to change your will, either:
- make a fresh will to revoke and supersede the earlier will, or
- prepare a supplemental will, ie. a codicil.
If you would like us to prepare a fresh will or codicil, see our guide on our will fees and how to engage us.
