8 Essential Steps to Take After the Loss of a Loved One in Singapore

8 Essential Steps to Take After the Loss of a Loved One in Singapore

Losing a loved one is one of life’s most difficult experiences. Amidst the grief, there are important legal and practical matters that must be addressed to ensure the deceased’s affairs are properly managed. This guide explains the 8 essential steps you should take after a family member’s passing in Singapore, including matters relating to probate, wills, and estate distribution.

When a death in the family occurs, there are 8 important legal things you need to do, from reporting the death to managing the estate and dealing with the inheritance.  The 8 important legal matters are as follows:

1. Obtain the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD).
2. Register the death.
3. Arrange for the funeral.
4. Inform relevant organisations (including CPF Board).
5. Check whether your loved one has left behind a Will.
6. Apply for Probate and understand the duties of the Executor and how the assets – and in what proportion – are to be distributed to the lawful beneficiaries.
7. Manage the estate and distribute the inheritance.
8. Account to the beneficiaries and close the matter.

Please read on to understand more information about each of these steps.

1. Obtain the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD)

The first step after a death is to obtain the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD). This is required for registering the death and arranging a burial or cremation.

• If death occurs at home (natural causes): A doctor will certify the death online, and the registration happens automatically.
• If death occurs at home (unknown or unnatural causes): The matter is referred to the police.
• If death occurs in hospital: The attending doctor will certify and register the death online.

If the online system is unavailable, doctors may issue a manual Confirmation of Death, which will later be updated electronically.

2. Register the Death and Download the Digital Death Certificate

Since 29 May 2022, deaths in Singapore are automatically registered online once certified by a doctor. Families no longer need to go to a counter to register.

• A digital death certificate will be issued, available for download from the My Legacy website within 30 days of the death.
• Next of kin should save the digital death certificate on their personal device for future use (e.g., probate, insurance, CPF).
• The deceased’s NRIC will be automatically invalidated in ICA’s system. Families should destroy the NRIC to prevent misuse.

If the death certificate is lost or damaged, next of kin can apply online for a digital death extract for S$40.

3. Arrange the Funeral

Most families will engage a funeral director or funeral home to assist with the arrangements. Funerals may be held at their dedicated funeral halls or at other locations such as a HDB void deck, in which case the director or funeral home will help obtain the necessary Town Council permits.

There are different types of funeral arrangements to consider – such as burial or cremation – and it is important to take into account your loved one’s religious beliefs, personal preferences, and any wishes expressed in their will.

4. Inform Relevant Organisations

Several institutions must be notified, including:

• Employer – settle salary or benefits.
• Banks and credit card companies – accounts are frozen until a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration is produced.
• Insurance companies – some payouts are made with the death certificate, but most require probate.
• CPF Board – CPF monies are released to nominees (if a CPF Nomination exists). If no nomination was made, the Public Trustee distributes CPF savings under intestacy laws. CPF monies cover balances in the Ordinary, Special, MediSave, and Retirement Accounts (if any).

5. Check for a Valid Will

If there is a will – the executor named must apply for a Grant of Probate to manage and distribute the estate.

If there is no will – a close family member must apply for Letters of Administration, and the estate is distributed under the Intestate Succession Act (or Muslim inheritance law, if applicable).

6. Apply for Probate or Letters of Administration

You have now come to an important part of the legal process.

When a person passes on, they leave behind an estate, which covers everything they owned – such as cash, property, investments, personal belongings, and other assets – as well as what they owed, including outstanding loans or debts.

The estate cannot be distributed informally. It must be dealt with according to the law through a process known as probate and administration. This process involves legally appointing someone (an executor or administrator) to take charge of the estate, settle liabilities, and distribute the assets to the rightful beneficiaries. In Singapore, these applications are handled by the Family Courts or, for larger estates, by the Family Division of the High Court.

Because the process is technical and requires strict compliance with court rules, most families choose to engage an experienced probate lawyer to ensure the estate is handled smoothly.

a.   If a Valid Will Exists – Apply for a Grant of Probate

If there is a valid will, there will be a person named as an executor in the will. The executor is someone named in the deceased’s will as a nominated person to distribute the deceased’s estate.

If the deceased left a will, the executor(s) will have to apply for a Grant of Probate and distribute the deceased’s assets according to the will.

With the executor having obtained the Grant of Probate, the executor will approach financial institutions, government agencies, banks and other organisations to request access to the deceased’s assets.

b.   What Documents do you Require When Meeting a Probate Lawyer?

Before meeting with the probate lawyer, the executor should prepare and bring along:

• the original death certificate of the deceased
• the original will of the deceased
• the executor’s identification documents (e.g. NRIC or passport)
• a list of all the assets and liabilities owned by the deceased with supporting documents (e.g. bank statements, insurance policies, tax invoices etc.)
• Muslim Inheritance Certificate from the Syariah Court (if applicable)

c.  What is the Process of Applying for a Grant of Probate?

The executor named in the will has to apply to the court for a Grant of Probate. The executor may instruct a specialist probate lawyer to help them do this job.

If the deceased’s estate is valued at S$5 million or below, the application for a Grant of Probate is made to the Family Courts. For estates exceeding S$5 million, the application must be filed in the Family Division of the High Court.

It is not simple to apply for a Grant of Probate as the steps involve many documents and are very technical. Generally, there are 3 main stages in the application for a Grant of Probate. Your probate lawyer will do the following:

1. Applying for a Grant of Probate
2. Submission of the supporting documents
3. Extracting the Grant of Probate

d.   Understanding the Duties of the Executor

The executor is required by law to perform the following duties:

• Apply for and extract the Grant of Probate.
• Arrange for the funeral of the deceased according to the will.
• Gather an accurate list of all the deceased’s assets.
• Pay off the deceased’s outstanding taxes, loans and debts.
• Distribute the assets to the beneficiaries according to the will.
• The executor must act honestly. According to the law, they have to account for the distribution of the deceased’s estate and may be held liable for not fulfilling their duties.

e.   No Valid Will – Apply for Letters of Administration

If the deceased did not leave a will, the deceased’s family member(s) must apply for a ‘Letters of Administration’ to become an ‘administrator’ of the estate.

According to the Intestate Succession Act, the Letters of Administration gives the administrator(s) legal authority to manage and distribute the deceased’s assets. With the Letters of Administration, the administrator(s) will approach various institutions and request access to the deceased’s assets.

f.   Who Can Be the Administrator?

Under the Intestate Succession Act, the administrator is appointed by the court to manage and distribute a deceased person’s estate. Generally, any of the deceased’s immediate family members may apply for the Letters of Administration.

According to the Intestate Succession Act, the following people are entitled to apply for the Letters of Administration, in order of priority:

1. spouse
2. children
3. parents
4. brothers and sisters
5. nephews and nieces
6. grandparents
7. uncles and aunts

Based on the order of priority, if the deceased’s children wish to be the administrator(s), the deceased’s surviving spouse must renounce their right to apply for Letters of Administration.

g.   What Documents are Required When Meeting the Lawyer?

Before meeting with the lawyer, the administrator or the family members should prepare and bring along:

1. the original death certificate of the deceased
2. the original death certificate of the deceased’s next-of-kin (if applicable)
3. the family members’ identification documents (e.g. NRIC or passport)
4. a list of all the assets and liabilities owned by the deceased with supporting documents (e.g. bank statements, insurance policies, tax invoices etc.)
5. Muslim Inheritance Certificate from Syariah Court (if applicable)

h.  What is the Process for Applying for Letters of Administration?

It is not simple to apply for Letters of Administration as there are many steps involved, and the process is very technical. In general, your probate lawyer will help to apply for Letters of Administration by doing the following:

1. Applying Letters of Administration
2. Submission of the supporting documents
3. Extracting the Grant

i.   What are the Duties of the Administrator?

The Administrator should carry out the following duties:

• Make an accurate list of all the deceased’s assets.
• Pay off the deceased’s outstanding taxes, loans and debts.
• Distribute the assets to the beneficiaries according to the Intestate Succession Act.

The Administrator must act honestly and account for the distribution of the deceased’s estate and may be held liable for not fulfilling their duties.

j.   What are the Rules of Distribution When There is No Will?

For non-Muslims, the distribution of the estate will be according to the Intestate Succession Act. The Act states:

• who the eligible beneficiaries are, and
• the proportion of the estate that each beneficiary will receive.

If there was no will, the Intestate Succession Act states that the estate shall be distributed as follows:

7. Manage the Estate and Distribute the Estate

Once the Grant of Probate or Letter of Administration has been obtained, the executor has to access the assets, collect them, pay off debts, and distribute them to the beneficiaries. Some of the things the executor might have to do to complete the job include:

• Properties: Sell or transfer the properties.
• Banks: Pay bank loans, credit cards and get access to the deceased’s accounts.
• Vehicles: Settle vehicle ownership.
• Bills: Settle all bills and taxes.
• Debts: Settle all debts.
• Insurance: Claim insurance monies.
• Subscriptions: Close all accounts and cancel subscriptions.
• Utilities: Terminate or transfer PUB, telephone and all utility services.
• Distribution: Distribute the assets to the lawful beneficiaries.

8. Account to the Beneficiaries and Close the Probate

The executor or administrator must prepare accounts to show all assets collected, debts paid, and distributions made. Once this is done, the estate can be formally closed. Executors and administrators are legally obliged to act honestly and may be held liable if duties are not properly fulfilled.

Conclusion

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is painful, and the legal steps can feel overwhelming. By understanding the process – from obtaining the death certificate to securing probate and distributing assets – families can approach this transition with greater clarity. Many choose to engage a probate lawyer for guidance, ensuring the process is handled correctly and efficiently.

How PKWA Law Can Help

At PKWA Law, we have over 30 years of experience assisting families with probate, wills, and estate matters. Our probate fees are fixed and transparent, starting from $1,390, with no hidden charges.

We are consistently recognised among Singapore’s leading family law firms by publications such as The Straits Times, Benchmark Litigation, Asian Legal Business, Singapore Business Review, and Doyle’s Guide.

If you need guidance with probate or estate matters, we offer a free first consultation to help you understand your options.