Introduction to Estate Planning: Wills and Nominations
A practical, India-specific guide to passing on your wealth cleanly. Learn what actually happens to bank balances, demat holdings, mutual funds, insurance, EPF, PPF, NPS and property when someone dies with or without a will, and why a nominee is usually not the final owner. Understand intestate succession under the Hindu Succession Act and the rules for Muslims, Christians and Parsis, the difference between self-acquired and ancestral property, and where an HUF fits. Set up nominations correctly across every account, draft a legally valid will clause by clause, and avoid the mistakes that send Indian families to court. Finish with probate, succession certificates, transmission of shares and funds, the tax position of heirs, special cases for minors, business owners and blended families, when a private trust makes sense, and a full case study of one family's estate plan.