Felicia Tan was quoted in Lianhe Zaobao by Poh Lay Hoon. In the explainer article on will writing, Felicia was quoted saying that when an elderly person is dying and verbally distributes his or her inheritance, this cannot be considered a will.

She explained that a will must be made in writing to avoid ambiguity, pointing out that the wishes for asset distribution may vary at different stages of life, and a written will ensured that the estate would be clearly distributed and guaranteed to be inherited by specific people. She noted that although a will does not have to be written in English, it must be translated into English if it is to be certified by the court – hence it is recommended to use English directly.

Felicia added that if there is no will, the deceased’s estate will be distributed according to the Intestate Succession Act, and if there are no relatives alive, the government has the right to inherit all the property.

Felicia pointed out two benefits of making a will. First, it can better ensure that the distribution of the estate is in line with the wishes of the testator. Second, it allows the beneficiaries to inherit the estate faster and at a lower cost, especially those who are financially disadvantaged and cannot afford the costs of estate lawsuits.

If there is no will, the family of the deceased would have to apply for an estate administration order, to administer the estate.