Can a person who contributed more to the deceased’s well-being during their lifetime claim more from their estate?

Financial contributions to the deceased such as healthcare or living expenses as provided by an individual – whether they are a lawful heir or otherwise, are not considered as a basis for a person to claim for a larger share of the inheritance. Islamic inheritance law has specified the shares that the legal heirs will receive based on their relationships with the deceased. Any claims to the inheritance that goes beyond the allocated distribution do not fall within the purview of Islamic inheritance law.

Individuals can make arrangements during their lifetime such as gifting from their assets to such persons through other estate planning tools. Some examples are CPF and insurance nominations where they can nominate individuals to receive portions of these proceeds. Both CPF and insurance proceeds do not need to be distributed according to Faraid if nominations were done as it is considered a gift made by the contributor during their lifetime.

In the event the deceased has not made such arrangements, an individual does not have the right to ask for any portion of inheritance (other than those designated).

For more related questions, visit: https://ask.gov.sg/muis.