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What is Singapore’s Intestate Succession Act (ISA)?

Singapore’s Intestate Succession Act (ISA) sets out a default “who gets what” formula for distributing a person’s estate when they die without a valid will and are domiciled in Singapore (i.e., they die “intestate”).

The estate must be administered by an appointed administrator (via Letters of Administration), and the administrator distributes the estate strictly according to the ISA rules.[1][2]

At a high level, the ISA prioritises immediate family:

• If there is a surviving spouse and children (“issue”), the spouse receives 50% and the children share the remaining 50%.[2]
• If there is a surviving spouse but no children and no parents, the spouse receives 100%.[2]
• If there is no spouse, the estate generally flows down the family line (e.g., children first; if none, then parents; if none, then siblings, and so on), and if there are no eligible relatives, it can ultimately go to the State.[2]

You can also use the interactive infographic below to explore how the Intestate Succession Act applies across different family scenarios.

Important notes:

• The ISA does not apply to Muslims; Muslim estates are governed under Muslim law (Administration of Muslim Law Act) and follow a Syariah Court inheritance certificate.[1]
• The ISA is a default scheme useful as a fallback, but it may not match someone’s intentions (e.g., providing for non-traditional beneficiaries), which is why a will is commonly used to customise distribution.[1]