OCBC Launches Free Online Will Writing Service For S’poreans & It’s Easy to Create One

A wise old man once said to me in my dream, “There’s is no such thing as a free lunch, but when there’s a will there’s a way.”

Over many moons  I thought to myself, Damn, that’s some deep stuff, what could it possibly mean?

So imagine the moment of Eureka when my news notification kept ringing like bells of enlightenment; it rang not once, nor twice, but about 777 times yesterday afternoon.

“OCBC Bank rolls out free online will writing service” declared Channel OldsAsia.

“OCBC Bank launches free online will writing service” YesterdayOnline wrote.

To see the words “free” and “will” uttered within the same breath seems about as rare witnessing the SPF tase a rebellious Aunty in action, locally.

Oh wait, that just happened.

Image: Nickelodeon Tumblr

And no, Free Will-y doesn’t count

The OCBC Online Will Generator 

According to reports, “The OCBC Online Will Generator (henceforth OOWG for succinctness) was developed by OCBC Bank as part of its Silver Years programme which focuses on people aged 55 and above.”

The OOWG will (does this count as a pun?), according to Dennis Tan, Head of OCBC Bank Singapore Consumer Financial Services Dennis Tan, make this “seemingly tedious and costly process a fuss-free and free-of-charge online experience that is open to everyone, especially our pioneer generation citizens.”

While the OOWG was created as part of its Silver Years programme focusing on people aged 55 and above, anyone who is above the age of 21 (and of sound mind), will be able to use this free online service provided by OCBC Bank to prepare their own wills in as little as 10 minutes.

Because old is just the inverse of young and 55 is still the opposite of 55 duh.

How Does It Work?

Image: OCBC Website

To sum it up, we have taken the liberty to list the (very general) steps in point forms below:

Step 1: Visit The OOWG site and agree to the Terms and Conditions

Step 2: Fill in your personal details and all the online form under the following headers:

  • Personal Details
  • Executors
  • Beneficiaries
  • Asset Allocation
  • Instructions
Image: OCBC Website

Step 3: Review the completed forms

Step 4: Download the generated will for free and sign on printed copy. Do take note that:

  • The will should be signed before two witnesses.
  • These witnesses cannot be named as beneficiaries under the will.
Image: harry.enzoverder.be

No, your cat(s) can’t be your witness(es). Dogs also cannot. Rabbits I think can.

Step 5:  Keep the will in a safe environment and register the will’s location with the National Will Registry.

Image: Wikipedia

Safe, something like this possibly, with door closed aboh den

More things to notes

With all that being said and done, it is important to note that:

Image: OCBC Press Release

If you can’t read, it says “Important” and please “Notice” me

In simple terms, that means if your your intended will is like your mee pok order – mai hiam, geh mee, mee pok mai meepok, ai mee kia – then please seek appropriately qualified lawyers for more specific will requirements.

Don’t be kiam siap.

For more in-depth information, please check out OCBC’s highly-curated and in-depth FAQ here and/or check out OCBC’s press release here.

At this moment, my colleague Dream called out to me, “Wil!”

Realizing the uncanny similarities between my name and this article’s subject matter, I wondered if the wise old man was indeed speaking to me, again.