Also in: Bahasa Melayu
A lot of Singaporeans ask me: “Will my family be taxed twice when I pass this property on?” Good news first: no. The real cost is somewhere else.
Your situation is different? Ask me on WhatsApp. I reply myself, usually the same day.
Ask Jason on WhatsAppThere is no death tax on either side
Singapore abolished estate duty in 2008, for deaths on or after 15 February 2008. Malaysia abolished its estate duty even earlier, in 1991. Neither country taxes your estate when you die, so there is no “double” tax waiting for your family.
The real cost is process, not tax
A Singapore grant of probate (or letters of administration) covers assets in Singapore. Your JB property sits under Malaysian law, so it needs its own administration here.
Because Singapore and Malaysia are both Commonwealth jurisdictions, your family usually does not have to start from zero. The Singapore grant can normally be resealed by the Malaysian High Court under the Probate and Administration Act 1959. That still means Malaysian lawyers, documents, court time and fees. It is not a tax bill, but it is paperwork and time.
| Singapore | Malaysia | |
|---|---|---|
| Estate duty | Abolished (2008) | Abolished (1991) |
| What the family needs for the JB property | The Singapore grant resealed in Malaysia, or a separate Malaysian grant | |
| Main cost | Legal fees, time and paperwork, not tax | |
Where the real planning happens
- Have a will that clearly covers your Malaysian property. Many Singaporeans hold a separate Malaysian will for Malaysian assets so the executor here can act without waiting on the Singapore estate. See Why your Malaysian property needs a will.
- Check your beneficiaries’ citizenship. A non-Malaysian beneficiary may need state consent to take over the title. See Leaving Malaysian property to a foreign beneficiary.
- Keep documents together: the SPA, title or strata title, loan papers and the insurance linked to the loan, so your executor is not searching for them later.
So if double taxation was your main worry about owning in JB, you can relax on the tax side. Plan for the process instead.
Want your JB property to pass smoothly? I am also a licensed will writer. Message me and we can look at the process side together.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Every estate is different; speak to a lawyer in each country for your own case. By Jason Lim (REN 84424, IQI Realty Sdn. Bhd.).