What is the role of the Public Trustee for small estates?

What the Law Says

Section 4 of the Probate and Administration Act empowers the Public Trustee to administer small estates in specific circumstances — primarily when the estate is modest in value and no suitable executor or administrator is available.

The Public Trustee serves as a statutory administrator for small estates in Singapore to ensure that beneficiaries receive their rightful shares without delay or undue cost.

This role applies only when the gross value of the deceased’s estate does not exceed $50,000, and there is either no valid will (intestacy) or a will but no executor is willing or able to act.

The Public Trustee steps in to collect assets, pay debts and expenses, and distribute the remaining estate to entitled beneficiaries — all under statutory authority and oversight.

Statutory Text

Where the gross value of the estate of a deceased person does not exceed fifty thousand dollars and there is no executor or administrator, the Public Trustee may, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, administer the estate.

— Probate and Administration Act, s. 4 — Administration of small estates

What to Do

Sources