Who inherits without a will in Singapore?
In Singapore non-Muslims follow the Intestate Succession Act: the spouse takes half and the children the other half.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
A spouse and children survive
For non-Muslims the spouse takes one half and the children share the other half.
A spouse survives, but no children
With no children, the spouse takes a half and the parents share the other half; with no parents, the spouse takes everything.
No spouse: who comes next
Children first; then the parents; then the siblings; then more distant relatives. If none, the estate goes to the Government.
A partner who is not married
An unmarried partner does not inherit.
What a will cannot take away
There is no forced share, but dependants can ask the court for maintenance from the estate.
If the person or the property is abroad
Muslims in Singapore follow Islamic law of inheritance (faraid) under the Administration of Muslim Law Act, so the answer depends on the religion.
Understand the legal system first
Singapore belongs to the Common law family. Succession law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.
Read the Singapore legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Who owns what in a marriage in Singapore? →
Official sources
Take it further
The family and property rules of a European country in one PDF, with questions for a local lawyer.
A complete, editable will in Word and PDF.
Keep property out of probate, with clear fill-in fields.
How trusts work and why courts enforce them.
A short PDF reference book with self-check questions.
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s inheritance guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.
