A will for new parents in Singapore: naming a guardian, CPF nominations and the signing rules

A will lets you, as new parents in Singapore, name a guardian for your child and decide who gets what you own. Your CPF savings don't pass by will, so you also need a CPF nomination. Make both, sign the will in front of 2 witnesses, and update them after each baby.

How to make a will and name a guardian, step by step

1. List what you own and how you hold it, from bank accounts and insurance to your CPF savings and your flat. Our new parent money checklist helps you pull it together.
2. Make your CPF nomination on the CPF website, or book a CPF Service Centre visit, where staff can act as your witnesses. CPF says it's free, and your 2 witnesses must be at least 21, have Singpass, and not be you or a nominee.
3. Choose a guardian for your child and ask them before you name them. Agree on one person with your partner: if you each name someone, the law has them act jointly after you've both died.
4. Pick an executor to carry out your will. LifeSG's Will learning tool takes about 20 minutes and covers both choices.
5. Write the will, yourself or with a lawyer. The tool gives you a Will Preparation Template, which LifeSG says is not a valid will, so take it to a lawyer or use it as your draft.
6. Sign at the end of the will with 2 witnesses present at the same time, and have them sign in front of you. Don't let anyone you're leaving something to, or their spouse, be a witness: the Wills Act voids their gift.
7. Keep the signed original somewhere safe and tell your executor and guardian where it is. You can record its location with the Wills Registry run by the Singapore Academy of Law, for $50 per deposit.
8. Review your will and CPF nomination after each new baby, and redo both if you marry. Marriage cancels an earlier will and CPF nomination. A new baby doesn't cancel your will, so add your child yourself.

What your will covers, and what it doesn't

A will covers your estate: the money and property in your name. Some of what new parents own passes outside it, by nomination or by the way a flat is held.

CPF says your savings do not form your estate and can't be controlled by your will. That also keeps them out of reach of creditors. For your home, check how you hold it. My Legacy says a jointly owned flat goes to the remaining joint owners and can't be willed away. Our guide to HDB schemes for families with kids has more on housing.

What happens if parents die without a will in Singapore

Without a will, the Intestate Succession Act shares out your estate. MinLaw's Public Trustee's Office uses the same rules for CPF savings with no nomination, and sets them out like this for non-Muslim families:

In MinLaw's example of a man with a wife and 2 children, his wife gets 50% and each child gets 25%. Muslim families follow different rules. Your family also has to apply to the courts for letters of administration before the estate is shared out.

For your child, the Guardianship of Infants Act makes the surviving parent the guardian. If neither parent is alive and nobody was named, someone has to apply to court to become guardian. A will lets you choose that person now.

Choosing a guardian for your child

A guardian has the legal responsibility to care for a child below 21, the Singapore Courts say. Under section 7 of the Guardianship of Infants Act, either parent can name one by will or by deed.

If one parent dies, the guardian named by that parent acts jointly with the surviving parent. If the surviving parent objects, the guardian can ask the court to decide. If you both name guardians, they act together once you've both died, which is why one shared choice is simpler.

Pick someone who shares your values and has room in their life for your child. Talk to them about money too, since your will can leave assets for your child's care. Our baby budget guide gives first-year costs, and the CDA calculator works out your child's First Step Grant and matching (how the CDA works). Raising your child alone? Our single parent benefits guide covers what you can claim, from leave to housing.

CPF nominations for new parents

CPF says making a nomination is free, and the CPF Board charges nothing to pay out your savings. Without one, the Public Trustee's Office distributes them and charges an administration fee that can't be waived.

If you name your child, money due to a nominee below 18 is held in trust by the Public Trustee's Office until they turn 18, CPF says. Marriage cancels any nomination you made before, so newlyweds need a fresh one. CPF suggests reviewing yours at least once a year or after major life changes, such as when you have children.

An LPA covers you while you're alive

A will only works after death. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets you appoint donees to decide on your personal welfare, your property and affairs, or both, if you lose mental capacity. You make it online with Singpass once you're at least 21. A certificate issuer, such as an accredited doctor or a practising lawyer, then certifies it. LifeSG says you'll hear in about 4 weeks when the Office of the Public Guardian has registered it.

Where to get help

• Writing the will: LifeSG's Will learning tool, or a free legal clinic. Call the clinic before you go, because not all the volunteer lawyers there are experts in wills.
• Checking a will you wrote yourself: My Legacy strongly recommends a lawyer's review, especially for complex assets, family circumstances or cross-border considerations.
• Recording where your will is: the SAL Wills Registry. If you saved that detail in My Legacy, download it before 4 January 2027, when My Legacy stops storing will records.
• CPF nominations: the CPF nomination e-service, or a CPF Service Centre if you book an appointment.
• Guardianship applications: the Singapore Courts' guardianship page, which lists the steps and fees.
• Money support: our guide to financial help for families.

Frequently asked questions

Do parents in Singapore need a will?

There's no legal requirement to make one, My Legacy says. Without a will, the Intestate Succession Act shares out your estate by a fixed formula, and nobody has been named as your child's guardian. With a will, you choose who inherits and who becomes your child's guardian.

How do I appoint a guardian for my child in Singapore?

Name them in your will, or in a deed, under section 7 of the Guardianship of Infants Act. Ask them first, and agree on the same person with your partner. The guardian acts with the surviving parent, then takes over once both parents have died.

Do new parents need a CPF nomination as well as a will?

Yes, if you want to choose who gets your CPF savings. They don't form part of your estate, so your will can't pass them on. Make a nomination online or at a CPF Service Centre; CPF says it's free. Make a new one after you marry, because marriage cancels the old one.

What happens if parents die without a will in Singapore?

Your estate is shared under the Intestate Succession Act. With a spouse and children, half goes to the spouse and half is split equally among the children. The surviving parent becomes your child's guardian. If neither parent survives and no guardian was named, someone has to apply to court.

Can I write my own will without a lawyer?

Yes. My Legacy says you can legally write your own will without a lawyer. The Wills Act says you must be at least 21, and the will must be in writing and signed in front of 2 witnesses. My Legacy still strongly recommends a lawyer's review, and LifeSG's template is only a guide for drafting the real will.

Does having a baby cancel my will?

No. The Wills Act says no will is revoked just because your circumstances change. Marriage does revoke an earlier will, unless the will says it was made in contemplation of that marriage. Update your will after each baby so it names your child and their guardian.