Wills, trusts & estate planning · Kuala Lumpur
The people you love shouldn’t be left guessing.
We help Malaysian families plan their estate — and, when the time comes, administer it — with wills, trusts and probate, for both civil and Islamic estates.
Two ways your estate can be settled
Without a will, a fixed statutory formula — the Distribution Act 1958, or faraid — decides who inherits, in shares you never chose.
Why planning matters
When there is no plan, the hard part falls on your family
Estate planning is not really about money. It is about sparing the people you love a slow, confusing and expensive process at the worst possible time.
- 1
The estate freezes
The moment someone dies, banks, the Land Office and share registrars lock everything until a personal representative is formally appointed.
- 2
A formula decides, not you
Without a will, the Distribution Act 1958 or faraid sets fixed shares — a partner, step-child, friend or charity may receive nothing at all.
- 3
It takes months, sometimes years
An intestate estate can take eight to fifteen months or more to unlock, against four to nine with a valid will and a named executor.
- 4
Delay costs the family
While the estate is frozen, a surviving spouse can be left cash-poor, a business paralysed, and value quietly lost.
See it for yourself
If you passed away today, who would inherit?
Most people are surprised by the answer. Our calculator applies the real rules — the Distribution Act 1958 for non-Muslims, or faraid for Muslims — to your own family, and shows each person’s exact share.
Then it shows you the one thing that changes all of it: a will.
Open the calculatorWhat we do
Your family’s legacy, planned and protected
From your first will to the administration of an estate a generation later — under one roof, for both civil and Islamic families.
Wills & will drafting
A valid will is the difference between deciding for your family and letting a statute decide for them.
Learn moreTrusts
A will decides who inherits. A trust decides how, when, and under whose care.
Learn moreIslamic estate planning
Faraid decides the fixed shares. Wise planning decides everything faraid leaves to you.
Learn moreProbate & estate administration
After a death, the law will not let anyone touch the assets until the right grant is in hand. We get it.
Learn moreBusiness succession
A company cannot wait nine months for probate. Plan the handover before it is forced on you.
Learn moreContentious probate & estate disputes
Most estate disputes are not about greed. They are about a family that no longer trusts the process.
Learn moreWherever you are in life
Where would you like to start?
Two systems, one firm
Civil and Islamic estates, both handled here
Non-Muslim estates
Civil estate planning
Governed by the Wills Act 1959 and, without a will, the Distribution Act 1958.
- Wills drawn and witnessed correctly (a will is revoked by later marriage)
- Trusts for young children, vulnerable heirs and business owners
- Grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will
- You decide the shares — nothing is fixed by a formula
Muslim estates
Islamic estate planning
Distributed by faraid, with room to plan through wasiat, hibah, harta sepencarian and wakaf.
- Wasiat directing up to one third to non-heirs
- Hibah to pass specific assets during your lifetime
- Harta sepencarian for a spouse’s share of joint property
- Guidance on faraid and obtaining a sijil faraid
Not sure which applies, or have a family that spans both? Start with a conversation — we will point you to the right team.
How we work
Getting your affairs in order, without the overwhelm
One calm conversation
A complimentary 20-minute call to understand your family and your assets. No jargon, no pressure — just what matters and what to do first.
A plan in plain language
We map your estate and set out a clear plan — the will, any trusts, and Islamic instruments where they apply — with fixed fees you agree up front.
Signed, stored and reviewed
We prepare and execute the documents, store the originals safely, and remind you to review after any big change in life.
Our people
The partners who will look after your legacy
A small, senior team — so the person you meet is the person who handles your matter.
Recognition & standing
Judged by our peers, not by our own praise
Malaysia’s Publicity Rules do not allow law firms to publish client testimonials or call themselves “the best”. So we let independent directories, professional bodies and our clients’ continued trust speak instead.
“The firm is recognised for its work on complex, cross-border and contested estates.”
Chambers High Net Worth — Private Wealth Law, Malaysia
“Noted for private client, trusts and estate administration, with strength in Islamic estate planning.”
The Legal 500 — Private Client
“We have settled estates for the children of clients we first advised twenty years ago. That is the whole point of this work.”
Josephine Cheong, Managing Partner
Guides
Plain answers to the questions families ask
Wills & intestacy
What happens to your estate in Malaysia if you die without a will
Dying without a will does not mean the government takes everything. It means a statute — not you — decides who inherits, in fixed shares that rarely match what you would have chosen.
Islamic estate planning
Faraid, wasiat and hibah: how Muslim estate planning works in Malaysia
Faraid is often described as leaving no room for planning. In practice, a Muslim family in Malaysia has several powerful tools — used within the Syariah — to provide for everyone they intend.
Probate & administration
Grant of probate vs letters of administration: the routes, the bond and the timeline
After a death, nobody can touch the assets until the right authority appoints a personal representative. Which route applies — and how long it takes — depends mostly on one thing: was there a will?
Questions people ask us
What happens if I die without a will in Malaysia?
For non-Muslims, the Distribution Act 1958 divides your estate in fixed shares between your spouse, children and parents — and gives nothing to unmarried partners, step-children, friends or charities. For Muslims, faraid applies. Either way, a formula decides, not you, and the process takes longer because someone must first be appointed to administer the estate. Our who-inherits calculator shows exactly how your family would be treated.
Do you handle both civil and Islamic estates?
Yes. Our civil team drafts wills, trusts and handles probate under the Wills Act 1959, Probate and Administration Act 1959 and Distribution Act 1958. Our Islamic estate practice, led by a Peguam Syarie, works within faraid using wasiat, hibah, harta sepencarian and wakaf. Many families have both dimensions, and we handle them together.
How much does a will cost?
A simple will starts from RM900, a standard will with guardianship and trust provisions from RM1,800, and a business-owner or high-net-worth will from RM3,500 — all plus 8% SST. See our published fees. The first 20-minute call is complimentary.
Is there inheritance tax in Malaysia?
No. Estate duty was abolished on 1 November 1991, so there is no inheritance tax on the estate itself. Real property gains tax and stamp duty can still apply when assets are later sold or transferred.
A good place to begin
Give your family clarity instead of questions.
Start with a complimentary 20-minute legacy call. If it helps, a full estate-planning consultation follows — RM350, credited against your fees if you proceed within 60 days.