Three Services, Each Designed Around a Particular Family Need
We offer a focused range of inheritance and estate law services. Each is described in full below — including what it involves, how the process unfolds, and the fee applicable.
Back to HomeHow Every Engagement Begins
Regardless of which service is relevant to your situation, every engagement at Bicara Waris follows the same foundational approach. We do not rush to documentation. We begin with a listening session in which we ask questions and, as importantly, give you the space to ask yours. Only after that initial conversation do we set out in writing what we recommend and why.
Initial Conversation
A listening session — no charge, no obligation
Written Summary
We set out our recommended approach in writing
Document Preparation
Draft documents prepared and shared for review
Finalisation
Review session, amendments, and formal completion
Living Will & Advance Directive Drafting
A careful, conversation-led service for clients wishing to set out their wishes concerning medical care and end-of-life decisions in advance of any incapacity. The advisor walks through the relevant legal framework, prepares the document in clear language, and supports the client in conversations with family members about the choices made.
This service is particularly valued by clients who wish to record their healthcare preferences formally, or who have seen a family member's end-of-life wishes go unrecorded — and want to ensure their own are not.
What This Service Covers
- Detailed advisory session on the Malaysian legal framework for advance directives
- Plain-language document capturing healthcare and treatment preferences
- Guidance on how to communicate the directive to healthcare providers
- Support in family conversations, if requested
- Guidance on periodic review and updating of the directive
Process Steps
Initial consultation — understanding the client's personal circumstances, health situation, and family context.
Explanation of the legal standing of advance directives in Malaysia and how they interact with the medical system.
Preparation of a draft directive for the client's review, in plain and accessible language.
Review session, any amendments, and guidance on storage and communication of the finalised document.
Service Fee
MYR 880
Trust Establishment & Settlement
Drafting and structuring work for clients wishing to establish family trusts as part of their broader estate planning — including discretionary trusts, life-interest arrangements, and charitable trusts. The advisor explains the practical operation of each structure, drafts the trust deed, and supports the appointment of trustees and beneficiary identification.
This service is commonly sought by clients with growing family wealth, those with young beneficiaries, or those who wish to direct assets to specific purposes over time rather than in a single transfer.
What This Service Covers
- Explanation of trust structures applicable to the family's circumstances
- Discretionary, life-interest, and charitable trust options
- Trust deed drafting, reviewed in full with the client
- Trustee selection guidance and beneficiary identification
- Guidance on the ongoing administration of the trust after establishment
Process Steps
Initial meeting to understand assets, family relationships, and the client's intended outcomes for the trust.
Written summary of recommended structure — presented before any drafting begins.
Trust deed prepared and shared for detailed review, with any revisions accommodated.
Formal establishment of the trust, execution of the deed, and guidance on subsequent administration.
Service Fee
MYR 1,180
Foreign Asset Inheritance Counsel
Specialist advisory work for families navigating inheritance of foreign-held assets — overseas property, foreign-currency accounts, and shareholdings in non-Malaysian companies. The advisor coordinates with overseas counsel as required, advises on tax treatment, and supports the client through the procedural particularities of recovering assets across borders.
This service addresses one of the most common sources of difficulty for Penang families — the discovery that an estate includes overseas assets that no one is quite certain how to access.
What This Service Covers
- Review of overseas assets and jurisdictional considerations
- Tax treatment guidance for foreign inheritance in the Malaysian context
- Coordination with overseas counsel in Singapore, the UK, and Australia
- Guidance on documentation required by foreign financial institutions
- Support through the full asset recovery process
Process Steps
Initial consultation to identify all foreign assets and the relevant jurisdictions involved.
Assessment of procedural requirements in each foreign jurisdiction and advice on the most efficient approach.
Coordination with overseas counsel where required; preparation of documentation for foreign institutions.
Ongoing support through the recovery process until assets are transferred to the appropriate beneficiaries.
Service Fee
MYR 1,510
Choosing the Right Service
If you are unsure which service is most relevant, the comparison below may help — or simply contact us to discuss your situation and we will advise accordingly.
| Consideration | Living Will | Trust Establishment | Foreign Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recording healthcare wishes | — | — | |
| Passing assets to family in a structured way | — | — | |
| Assets held overseas by deceased family member | — | — | |
| Protecting young or vulnerable beneficiaries | — | — | |
| Assets in Singapore, UK, Australia | — | — | |
| Charitable or philanthropic giving | — | — | |
| Not sure which applies? An initial conversation with our advisor will help clarify. | |||
Protocols Shared Across All Services
Written Advisory Record
Every recommended approach is provided to the client in writing before instruction is accepted.
Strict Confidentiality
All client matters are handled with complete professional discretion and are never discussed with third parties without consent.
Fee Transparency
No charge is incurred without the client's prior agreement. Disbursements are stated in advance.
Continuity of Advisor
One advisor handles each engagement from the initial session to completion — no transfers mid-matter.
Malaysian Bar Compliance
All work is conducted in accordance with the Legal Profession Act 1976 and the Malaysian Bar's professional conduct requirements.
Secure Document Handling
All physical and digital documents are stored and transmitted securely throughout the engagement.
Service Fees at a Glance
All fees are fixed and inclusive of professional time and document preparation. Disbursements (where applicable) are communicated and agreed separately before being incurred.
Disbursements (e.g. government registration fees, overseas counsel coordination charges) are disclosed and agreed before being incurred. All fees are in Malaysian Ringgit.
Not Sure Where to Begin?
We are glad to have an initial conversation about your situation — without charge — and advise you on which service, if any, is most relevant to your family's circumstances.
Speak With an Advisor