What is Letter of Administration & its Importance in Singapore?

Whenever you watch a movie in which a person passes away, you’ll see a guy in a suit reading the wishes of the deceased drafted as a will to certain audiences, usually family members of the deceased. However, in reality, there are often situations whereby a person passes on without leaving behind a will. In such cases, a Letter of Administration needs to be applied.

What is a Letter of Administration?

A Letter of Administration is a court order that grants a person, usually the next-of-kin, to be appointed as an administrator to manage the distribution of the deceased’s estate.

All personal administrators have to be 21 years old and above. In the event that one or more beneficiaries of the property are under the mentioned age, the law requires that at least two administrators be appointed. Under the Singapore law, infants and bankrupts are not allowed to be appointed as administrators as well. The grant will be made to their guardian if an infant is entitled to grant. When the infant reaches the age of 16 years old, he or she may obtain a grant to gain entitlement of the letter of administration from the guardian.

The process of applying for a letter of administration is very complicated. A thorough check regarding any document which may state the deceased’s intentions regarding the distribution of his estate has to be conducted. Due to its complexity, it is highly recommended that you seek out legal advice before applying for a letter of administration.