Will Writing and CPF Nomination in Singapore: What Most People Get Wrong

Most Singaporeans know they should have a will. Far fewer know that their CPF savings are not covered by it. This single misunderstanding can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars going to the wrong people — or being distributed according to a formula you never agreed to.

This guide covers both will writing and CPF nomination in Singapore, the common mistakes that catch people off guard, and how to make sure your loved ones can actually find and access your plans when they matter most.

Writing a Will in Singapore

A will is a legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after you die. In Singapore, it is governed by the Wills Act (Cap 352).

Requirements for a Valid Will

Requirement	Details
Written	Must be in writing (typed or handwritten)
Age	Testator must be 21 or older
Mental capacity	Must be of sound mind
Signature	Signed by testator in the presence of 2 witnesses
Witnesses	Both witnesses must sign in testator's presence; witnesses cannot be beneficiaries or spouses of beneficiaries

Types of Wills and Costs

Type	Cost	Best For
DIY will (templates)	From S$30	Simple estates, single beneficiary
Lawyer-drafted will	S$200–500+	Multiple assets, complex wishes, blended families
Islamic will (wasiat)	Varies	Muslim Singaporeans (subject to Syariah law via MUIS)

Where to Store Your Will

• With your lawyer
• In a safe deposit box
• Registered with the Singapore Academy of Law's Wills Registry (note: the registry records the will's existence and location, not its contents)

CPF Nomination: The Critical Step Most People Miss

Here is the fact that surprises many people: CPF savings are NOT covered by a will. Even if your will says "all my assets go to Person X," your CPF monies will be distributed separately.

How CPF Nomination Works

• Must be made directly with the CPF Board (online via my cpf portal or at CPF service centres)
• You can nominate anyone — not limited to family members
• You specify the percentage each nominee receives

Without a CPF Nomination

If you die without a CPF nomination, your CPF savings are distributed under:

• Intestate Succession Act (for non-Muslims)
• Muslim law administered by MUIS (for Muslims)

Under intestate succession, the default distribution is:

Surviving Family	Distribution
Spouse + children	Spouse gets 50%, children share 50%
Spouse only (no children, no parents)	Spouse gets 100%
Children only (no spouse)	Children share 100% equally
Parents only (no spouse, no children)	Parents share 100% equally

This may not reflect your actual wishes at all.

Muslim Succession

For Muslim Singaporeans, succession is governed by Syariah law and administered by MUIS (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura). Certain assets cannot be overridden by a will — faraid rules determine fixed shares for specific relatives.

Common Mistakes That Can Cost Your Family

1. Not Updating Your Will After Marriage

In Singapore, marriage automatically revokes any existing will unless the will was made in contemplation of that marriage. If you wrote a will before getting married and did not update it, you currently have no valid will.

2. Forgetting CPF Nomination

Your CPF could be your single largest asset. Without a nomination, it goes through intestate succession — a process that is slower and may not match your intentions.

3. Ignoring Insurance Nominations

Like CPF, insurance payouts follow their own nomination process. Check with your insurer to ensure your nominations are current.

4. Choosing Witnesses Who Are Beneficiaries

If a witness to your will is also a beneficiary (or the spouse of a beneficiary), that person's gift under the will is void. The will itself remains valid, but that specific bequest fails.

5. Not Telling Anyone the Will Exists

A perfectly drafted will is useless if nobody knows where to find it.

MyLegacy@LifeSG

The Singapore government provides the MyLegacy portal (via LifeSG) to help residents plan end-of-life matters in one place — including information about wills, CPF nominations, and healthcare directives.

Securely Sharing Your Estate Plan Details

Your family needs to know:

• That a will exists and where the original is stored
• Whether CPF nominations have been made
• Insurance nomination details
• Lawyer contact information
• Safe deposit box locations and access details

This is exactly the kind of information that is too sensitive for a regular iMessage or Messenger conversation, but too important to keep locked away where nobody can find it. A password-protected memo on LOCK.PUB lets you document all of this in one place — share the link and password with your executor or trusted family member, and they can access it when the time comes.

Action Steps

1. Check if your will is still valid — especially if you married after writing it
2. Log into my cpf and make or update your CPF nomination
3. Review insurance nominations with all your insurers
4. Store your will safely — register with the Wills Registry
5. Document everything in a secure memo on LOCK.PUB — will location, CPF nomination status, insurance details, lawyer contacts
6. Tell your executor — share access to your secure memo

Do Not Procrastinate

Estate planning is not something you do when you are old. Accidents do not check your age. The cost of a basic will starts at S$30, CPF nomination is free, and storing your plans securely on LOCK.PUB takes minutes. The cost of not doing it? Ask the families who have spent months in court fighting over assets that could have been distributed peacefully.

Start today.