KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

FIL passed away leaving a HDB flat behind to MIL. The favourite child has started pressurizing MIL to write a will & trying to find out all the bank accounts/shares she has with her other children...........

I have not much issue except the house as hubby & I have funded >50% of it. Like to find out more on what will happen to the HDB flat, how will it be split and what do I need to know so that we are more prepared for any unpleasant actions.

Hope anyone who have any idea/experience can share. Frankly, I do not have sufficient info right now, DH is also the bo-chap type cos' he's very filial....so all these never bothered him. But on my part, I want to start gathering knowledge to be prepared.

Scenario 1 : No will and no beneficiary named
- how will the house be split? Does HDB has record of who has contributed to the house? Will they split accordingly?

Scenario 2 : Beneficiary named/changed
- since my hubby has funded >50% of it, can he claim back accordingly in the event the fav-child managed to make himself the sole beneficiary?
- if fav-child tries to bring the mom to change the beneficiary, can that be done without knowledge of other children? Will the existing beneficiary be informed in the event that he/she is taken out and new one inserted?

Getting a little phobia as the fav-child has suddenly been talking a lot to the mom & kept questioning why she split the 'assets' and not put under 1 account or more to his name.

Any advice/info would be appreciated.

Hi, as far as I know, 'no will and no beneficiary named', HDB will split the house (aft selling) equally to all the children, if spouse already deceased.

If there is a will and 'benenficiary is named' and yr hubby wants to claim back his contribution, he would has to engage a lawyer since his earlier contribution could be considered as 'a gift' to his mum.

If there is a will and the 'beneficiary name is changed', as long as your MIL agree, it could be done without the knowledge of her children.

The above is based on my best knowledge as I am also in about the same shoes as yr hubby..has contributed to around 50% of mum's flat but no name in it!

Atan wrote:Hi, as far as I know, 'no will and no beneficiary named', HDB will split the house (aft selling) equally to all the children, if spouse already deceased.

If there is a will and 'benenficiary is named' and yr hubby wants to claim back his contribution, he would has to engage a lawyer since his earlier contribution could be considered as 'a gift' to his mum.

If there is a will and the 'beneficiary name is changed', as long as your MIL agree, it could be done without the knowledge of her children.

The above is based on my best knowledge as I am also in about the same shoes as yr hubby..has contributed to around 50% of mum's flat but no name in it!

Hi Atan,
Thanks for the info. Really appreciate.
So in your case, how do you plan to 'safeguard' ?

Frankly I rather no will and split equally, less is fine but not let the undeserving become sole beneficiary.

Right now, hearing too much of MIL conversation with the fav-child about lawyer, no hurry wait for your siblings, name etc, quite worried he would just bring her to make changes without informing others. MIL is illiterate, so fav-child can just con her.....

Frankly, I'm not prepared to let go of our contribution (at least not to him) cos' he's dink (double income no kid) and earning quite well. No reason for me to suffer for such kind of people. Have already been on the losing end all these years, enough is enough. More importantly, need that sum of $ for MIL's future medical/old age (both FIL & MIL stay with us & we are already the main provider). I just hope DH will not just let go totally, at least do some precautions.

Hi, one way to safe guard interest is to sell flat now and split $$ according to pre-contribution and agreed share.

$$ is a very sensitive issue, so have to handle with care to maintain harmony within the family.

Hope everything will work out fine for your family.

$$$ indeed very sensitive issue!!

Just told my wife to settle acct with my ILs. They have this and that joint a/c and I also dunno who owns what. Touch wood, but if anything happens, how to figure what % belongs to who?! If only child, then not much problem. But if not, then if still want to jointly hold a/c, better have a black-white signed off by both parties to declare the % share.

If u donch want your 'better' half to splurge yr money on someone else after u passed on, then better write will and have a trusted administrator until children old enough.

$$$....very leychey!!!