Indian Personal Finance
Estate Planning
Articles on wills, probate, nominations, family trusts, and passing wealth to the next generation.
Estate Planning: Mandatory Probate Abolished in India
Posted on November 28, 2025 in Estate Planning
A historic amendment to the Indian Succession Act has removed the mandatory probate requirement in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. Probate is now optional across India, significantly reducing the friction of asset transmission.
Nominee is Not the Owner: A Mistake Most Indians Make
Posted on November 15, 2025 in Estate Planning
Your nominee is NOT the owner of your bank account or mutual funds after you die. The nominee is just a custodian. The legal heirs as per your Will are the real owners. The new Banking Laws now let you appoint up to 4 nominees.
Why Every Indian Adult Needs a Will (Yes, Even You)
Posted on November 10, 2025 in Estate Planning
If you have any assets at all, a bank account, a flat, mutual funds, even a PPF account, you need a Will. Without one, succession laws decide who gets what. And those laws do not always match what you would have wanted.
Family Trusts in India: Not Just for the Rich Anymore
Posted on November 5, 2025 in Estate Planning
When you hear "family trust" you probably think of Ambani or Tata. But trusts are becoming practical for regular middle-class families too. A trust separates legal ownership from who actually benefits, offering asset protection that a simple Will cannot provide.