Will-making cannot wait

Summary: Most families postpone writing a Will, assuming harmony, nominations or time will take care of succession. This piece explains why those assumptions often fail, how inheritance really works in India and what simple steps can spare your family years of legal and emotional strain. My father passed away when I was very young. He had not shared any details of his investments with us. We had to scramble through his papers, and to this day, we are not sure if we managed to trace everything. Over the last few years, Indian investors have created a sizable amount of wealth. When we talk about succession planning, we often hear, “Kya jaldi hai?” On the one hand, longevity has increased and there is greater awareness about creating enough wealth for one’s lifetime and as a legacy. On the other hand, we increasingly hear of young and healthy people dying suddenly. The message is simple: once you have created some assets and have responsibilities, the need to write a Will should not be postponed. ‘Hum saath saath hain’ and other myths “We are a very happy family. There is no family feud or dispute about inheritance. So what is the need?” We hear this from many families. In reality, the need for a Will is even greater in such cases, especially if there are immovable properties involved. You would not want your children to struggle with

This article was originally published on December 20, 2025.