Reference Guide

Singapore Estate Planning Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms that come up most often in estate planning conversations — from wills and trusts to CPF nominations and LPA. Each entry includes an advisor's perspective on when it actually matters.

Legal Concepts

Discretionary Trust A discretionary trust is the right tool when the future is genuinely uncertain — for example, when you have young children whose needs will change over 15 years, or when beneficiaries include a person with a disability. Read definition → Estate Duty Singapore's abolition of estate duty in 2008 is genuinely good news for estate planning — but it creates a false sense of security. The absence of estate duty does not mean there are no estate planning challenges to address. Read definition → Intestacy In practice, intestacy distributes assets in proportions that almost never match what the deceased would have chosen — especially for business owners and families with complex structures. Read definition → Standby Trust A standby trust is most relevant for clients with large insurance policies who want the payout to be managed carefully for dependants rather than paid out as a lump sum subject to probate or a nominee's direct control. Read definition → Testamentary Capacity Testamentary capacity challenges are most common when wills are made late in life or during illness. The best protection is making or reviewing a will while health is clearly good — not waiting until circumstances raise doubts. Read definition → Testamentary Trust A testamentary trust is one of the most effective tools for parents with young children — it means the estate is not handed over as a lump sum at 18, but managed according to the instructions you set out while you were alive. Read definition → Trust A trust is not just for the wealthy — it is a control mechanism. The key question is not whether you need a trust, but whether outright distribution at death serves your family's actual situation. Read definition →

CPF & Retirement

CPF Nomination The CPF nomination is one of the simplest estate planning actions available — 10 minutes online — yet it is consistently the most outdated document in any estate review I conduct. Read definition →

Estate Documents

Advance Medical Directive An AMD is not about estate distribution — it is about medical decisions at the end of life. For clients who are concerned about the quality of dying as much as the distribution of assets, it belongs in every complete estate plan. Read definition → Lasting Power of Attorney An LPA is not about death — it is about what happens if you are still alive but cannot make decisions. Without one, the family needs to apply to court. With one, your chosen person can act immediately. Read definition → Letters of Administration Letters of Administration is what happens when there is no will — and in my experience, the families who go through this process almost always wish a will had been in place. The court process adds months and thousands of dollars to what should have been a straightforward transfer. Read definition →

Estate Roles

Executor Choosing the right executor is as important as writing the will itself — the executor needs to be willing, capable, and available when the time comes. Many people appoint a spouse without considering what happens if the spouse predeceases them. Read definition →

Legal Processes

Probate Probate is the step most people do not think about when writing a will — but it determines how quickly and smoothly the estate can actually be distributed after death. Read definition →

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