SINGAPORE, April 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Are you overwhelmed and confused over the jargon used in the Will? Summit Planners understands that the jargon used in a Will can be difficult to understand and may be one of the reasons why people delay writing their Will.

We would like to debunk the legal terms used in the Will to let you have a better understanding before preparing your Will.

Testator

A testator is someone who creates and executes the Will. The testator will specify his/her distribution intention clearly and concisely. The testator will ensure that the instructions in a Will are detailed and can speak on his/her behalf after his/her demise.

Executor

An executor is someone who administers and distributes the estate according to the instructions indicated in the Will. The executor’s duty can be challenging as it involves understanding the instructions in the Will, and identifying the assets and liabilities. Thus, it is important for the testator to list the assets and liabilities to ease the executor’s duty.

Trustee

A trustee is responsible for holding and distributing the assets, ensuring that the assets within the trust are safeguarded and distributed to the beneficiaries following the instructions in the Will. The trustee’s responsibility will end upon the depletion of funds or termination of the trust.

Beneficiaries

A beneficiary is an individual or organisation receiving assets or benefits from the estate. The assets may include but are not limited to cash, properties, investments, insurance policies, etc. There are two types of beneficiaries, namely, primary and contingent beneficiaries. The primary beneficiaries are the first in line to benefit from the estate. On the other hand, the contingent beneficiaries are the backup beneficiaries who will benefit from the estate. In other words, they will be entitled to the inheritance only when the primary beneficiary is unable or refuses to receive it.

Legal Guardian

A legal guardian is someone appointed to care for your minor children. There are two types of legal guardians, namely, a natural guardian and a testamentary guardian. A natural guardian is the surviving parent of the child, whereas the testamentary guardian is appointed by you to assume guardianship responsibility after your demise.

Understanding the terminology in the Will can provide clarity when navigating the complexities of a Will and ensure that your intentions are accurately stated in the Will.

To raise awareness of the importance of Will Planning, Summit Planners is running monthly Will Planning seminars to encourage the members of the public to take action to ensure that their affairs are well taken care of after their demise.

Click here for more information on the Will Planning Seminars.

About Summit Planners

“Summit Planners is committed to redefining the way individuals approach estate planning and make estate planning simplified and understandable.”

Summit Planners is an organisation specializing in comprehensive estate planning solutions. With a team of seasoned professionals, we are dedicated to helping individuals and families secure their financial legacies for generations to come.

At Summit Planners, we strive to provide our clients with customised solutions from our suite of services to match the size of their organisation and ambitions. From sole proprietorships to corporations and individuals to families, their trust in our services and partners has enabled us to grow from strength to strength.