Executors and Trustees in Singapore

Yes. Your executor or trustee can also be a beneficiary of your Will. You can appoint someone to manage your estate or a trust and also leave assets to them.

If a trustee is managing assets on behalf of other beneficiaries, they must still follow the terms of the Will and trust and their duties under the Trustees Act 1967.

Yes. You can appoint up to four executors to act together in Singapore. They can share the work and provide oversight if one becomes unable to act. But they usually need to agree on decisions and sign documents together, which may slow things down if they disagree or live far apart.

You can also name substitute executors. They step in only if your first choice has died, lacks mental capacity or declines the role. If you name more than four executors in total, only four can hold the Grant of Probate, the court document giving them authority to administer your estate, at once. NobleWills generally suggests one or two executors and one or two substitutes.

Your executor deals with your estate after you die. They identify assets and debts, apply for probate if needed, pay what your estate owes and distribute what remains under your Will. A trustee manages property your Will holds in trust for someone, such as an underage beneficiary. Singapore Courts explains the executor's role in its Grant of Probate guidance. The Trustees Act 1967 sets out important trustee powers and duties. You can choose the same person for both roles.

If your Will leaves property in trust for a child, the trustee manages it under the Will's terms. The child does not immediately control it. Section 33 of the Trustees Act 1967 covers when a trustee may use income for a child's maintenance, education or benefit; the Act also sets out other powers and duties. Your Will and the law determine when the child receives the remaining property and on what conditions.

Check whether your Will names another executor who can act. A named executor can give up their right to apply for a grant, called renouncing, under section 3 of Singapore's Probate and Administration Act 1934. If named executors have died or renounced, someone may need to apply to administer the estate. The Family Justice Courts Practice Directions 2024 cover this process, which differs from probate granted to a named executor. While making your Will, ask your chosen executor about the role and consider naming a substitute.