Settle your affairs

WHEN it comes to distributing assets after passing away, non-Muslim Malaysians enjoy the freedom of deciding how they want to approach the deed, so long as a will has been written.

The failure to write a will means that the assets will be distributed in accordance with the Distribution Act 1958, which may not address the final wishes of the deceased.

Most are aware of this, but not of the many pitfalls they may face when the instructions for distribution are not properly detailed and lead to disputes among family members or cause unnecessary hardship to the deceased’s loved ones.

For example, a father who wants to be fair to his children would write a will that gives each of them an equal share of his house.

While this instruction is not wrong from a legal perspective, it often leads to conflict among the children, especially when some want to sell the property against others’ wishes to maintain the house for sentimental reasons, or when everyone fails to agree on a price and terms of sale.

When it comes to planning for a will, many do not know where to start. They worry that they have overlooked certain aspects such as underestimating the necessity of naming substitute beneficiaries or not including important asset details.

This is where Rockwills can help you. Its estate planners will visit you at home or a place of your choosing to listen to your wishes and discuss your asset distribution options.

After a thorough discussion, the estate planners will suggest the best, most practical solutions for you based on your concerns and instructions, and relationships between your beneficiaries.

Depending on your circumstances, they may wish to discuss further estate planning solutions such as setting up a trust to achieve your objectives.

Established in 1995 with more than

100 years of cumulative experience in estate planning and supported by more than 30 legal advisors, Rockwills is a specialist organisation that provides comprehensive will writing, will custody and trust services.

It is one of the largest estate planning groups in the region, having written more than 200,000 wills and holding assets under trust valued at more than RM28bil.