Upon the passing of someone, the family members will have to administer and distribute the estates of the deceased.

When someone passes away leaving a will, the person named in the deceased's Will as the executor will have to execute the will by first applying to the High Court of Malaya for the Grant of Probate.

If the person passes away without leaving a will, then depending on the size of the deceased's estate, an administrator will be appointed by the High Court of Malaya via an application for the Grant of Letter of Administration to administer the deceased's estate.

There are also other ways where an estate of someone who passes away without leaving a will can be administered. These include the summary administration by Amanah Raya Berhad and the small estate distribution application.

At TEH & YU, we provide a complete and professional solution to your succession related matters. ​All personal information submitted to us will be kept strictly private and confidential.

OUR SERVICES

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The administration of estates of your loved ones after their demise can sometimes be stressful. During this difficult time, our lawyers are here to assist with the process. Consult our lawyers to decide the best possible way to administer the estates.

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SUCCESSION (AFTER DEATH) 

• Application for Grant of Probate (Learn more)
• Application for Letter of Administration (Learn more)
• Transfer of properties between spouses
• Transfer of properties between family members
• Deed of Family Arrangement (Learn more)
• Deed of Settlement / Variation / Disclaimer (Learn more)
• Transmission of properties
• Resealing of Probates or Letters of Administration granted out of Malaysia​

ESTATE PLANNING (BEFORE DEATH)

• Comprehensive will writing
• Legal advice on existing will
• Making a will after a marriage
• Making a will after a divorce
• Private estate planning
• Drafting and advising on wills

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HOW DO WE WORK?
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STEP 1

APPOINTMENT AND DISCUSSION

Upon confirmation of our appointment, we will discuss your matter with you in detail. We will prepare the cause papers and process all the paperwork prior to your signing of documents.​

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STEP 2

SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS

After the documents are prepared, usually within 2 - 4 working days after appointment and discussion, we will make an appointment with you for the signing of documents. The contents of the documents will be explained to you before signing.

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STEP 3

COURT HEARING

Upon the signing of the documents, we will file the same to the court. The court will process the documents and a hearing date will be fixed. Depending on the schedule of the court, the matter will normally be fixed for hearing within 1 week to 4 months after filing.

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STEP 4

COMPLETION

After the hearing of the matter by the court, we will process the remaining paperwork, which will normally involve the filing of the court order and extraction of the same. This would usually take between 1 day - 6 weeks after the court hearing.

WHEN DO I APPLY FOR A grant of probate / GRANT OF letters of administration?

Application for grant of probate is only applicable when the Deceased left a valid will with a valid executor.

If the Deceased did not leave a valid will or left a valid will but not a valid executor, then the application for letters of administration applies here.

How long is the whole process of grant of probate / letters of administration?

Depending on the schedule of the court, the application for grant of probate will generally take 2-6 months where as the application for letters of administration will generally take 4 months to 2 years.

Grant of probate - what are the documents and information needed?

In order to apply for the grant of probate, the beneficiaries must prepare the following documents and information and submit to us for our further action: -

1. the Death Certificate;
   
2. the Original will;
   
3. the NRIC of the Executor(s);
4. the list of immovable properties (houses, offices, shoplots);
5. the list of movable properties (share accounts, bank accounts, vehicles, jewelries);
   
6. the list of assets and liabilities / debts; and
   
7. the list of Beneficiaries.

If my parent left a will, can the beneficiaries decide to distribute the estates in another way?

If the Deceased left a Will, it is generally advisable that the beneficiaries respect the wishes of the Deceased by administering the estates and distributing the properties according to the provision of the Will.

Although the beneficiaries may reach an agreement to distribute the estates not in accordance with the Will, please seek our professional advice (especially on its implication) if the beneficiaries decide not to follow the provision of the Will.

Is it true that a will is invalid upon A marriage/remarriage or A divorce?

Generally your existing Will is revoked and becomes invalid upon your marriage or remarriage. If you do not write a new Will, your estates will be distributed in accordance with the Distribution Act 1958.

However, your existing Will does not become void and will remain valid after your divorce. It is therefore advisable to review your Will after your divorce to ensure that it reflects the change of your marital status.

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