Navigating The Implications for Heirs: An Analysis of The Amendment to The Small Estate Act (Distribution) 1955

This research aimed to acquire a deeper understanding of the latest amendment of the Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955 and its implications faced by the heirs. The methodology involves analyzing documents, such as the Small Estates (Distribution) (Amendment) Act 2022 as well as secondary sources, including journal articles, conference proceedings, newspaper clippings, and websites. Content analysis was used to analyze the data, capturing the insights and extensive knowledge on this area. The study highlights nine significant updates resulting from the amendment. These include expanding the jurisdiction to streamline estate administration, optimizing the existing estate administration system, offering more options and mechanisms for citizens when submitting petitions, and incorporating electronic systems for petition submissions. The limitation of this study is the potential constraint in accessing relevant literature on the specific topic, particularly if it is a niche and emerging subject. To overcome this limitation and gather more comprehensive information, alternative techniques, such as interviews could be explored. Few studies have examined the impact of the recent amendment of the Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955. This study analysed in details the new provision given to the heirs in smoothing the inheritance process.