Late at night, Amelia was folding laundry in the living room of her double-storey terrace house in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, while an old drama replayed on the TV. The children had finally fallen asleep — one of the rare quiet moments in her day. Under the warm yellow light, she heard soft footsteps. Her 6-year-old daughter, Emma, stood timidly at the doorway clutching a stuffed toy. “Mommy… I had a bad dream.” The little girl whispered, then climbed onto her lap. Amelia held her close. As Emma slowly drifted back to sleep in her arms, a thought Amelia had avoided many times suddenly surfaced: If something happened to her and her husband, Daniel… what would happen to Emma and her younger brother, Ethan?
The next morning at breakfast, she casually asked her husband, “Have you ever thought… if something happened to both of us, who would take care of the kids?” Daniel put down his toast, a little stunned. “Don’t say things like that. We’re young and healthy.” “I know,” Amelia sighed, “but when Emma came crying to me last night, I suddenly realized — if an accident really happened, who would pay for their school fees, medical bills? Even their pocket money? Who would the court grant guardianship to? Would our families fight over money?” Daniel looked up, his expression turning serious. “You’re talking about legal guardianship, aren’t you?”
“Yes, and also the issue of a will. I read that if we don’t make a will, the court will decide who gets custody of the children. What if our relatives argue over it, or someone just wants control of the money? And the insurance payout wouldn’t even go directly to the kids — they can’t touch the money before turning 18 unless we set up a trust fund.”
That afternoon, the thought continued to weigh heavily on Amelia’s mind. While having lunch with another mother from her daughter’s kindergarten, she finally couldn’t hold back and brought up the topic again.
“Have you made a will?” she asked quietly.
Her friend nodded. “I just got it done last month. I appointed my younger sister as the guardian. Honestly, at first I didn’t feel it was urgent, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how important it is. I also set up an insurance trust to make sure the money is actually used for the kids. Otherwise, how could the guardian afford everything? They have their own family to support too.”
“You can do that?” Amelia asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
“A trust document can specify exactly how every cent is to be used — from the children’s school fees and medical expenses to their daily necessities, and even a monthly allowance for the guardian. Think about it: if the insurance payout belongs directly to the minor children, the money becomes ‘locked’ and unusable until they turn 18. Are our siblings supposed to pay for everything out of their own pockets and then wait more than ten years to be reimbursed? Is that fair?”
Amelia kept those words firmly in mind. That night, she had a deep conversation with her husband, Daniel:
“We need to act immediately: create a will to clearly name a guardian, and set up an insurance trust. That way, we can ensure where the assets go and prevent the children from becoming bargaining chips in family disputes.”
Daniel was still a bit hesitant. “Haven’t we already bought insurance? Isn’t that enough?”
“Having insurance without a trust means the money is basically frozen — the kids can’t access it until they’re adults,” Amelia explained patiently. “Do you expect your brother or my sister to pay for everything out of their own pockets — international school fees, piano classes, dental bills… and then wait more than ten years to get reimbursed?”
Those words finally made her husband realize the seriousness of the situation. Daniel let out a long sigh. “You’re right. Taking care of this now is the only way we can have peace of mind.”
Within a week, they met with a professional estate planner. With the advisor’s guidance, they drafted their wills — appointing Amelia’s cousin, Sarah, as the primary guardian, and Daniel’s older brother as the alternate. They discussed not only the practical arrangements but also whether their values aligned: who had the stability, patience, and educational principles they trusted.
Next came the crucial step: setting up an insurance trust. They transferred their existing life insurance policies into the trust and established clear terms, including a monthly allowance for the guardian, dedicated funds for the children’s education and medical needs, and an amount reserved until the children turn 25. They also included special provisions allowing early withdrawals in exceptional situations, such as university tuition or medical emergencies.
The estate planner explained in simple terms: “If anything happens to both of you, the trust becomes your banker and decision-maker. No frozen accounts, no legal delays, no chaos. The guardian will have the funds needed to raise the children, and your children’s future will be protected.”
When all the documents were finally signed, Amelia felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. Not because she expected something bad to happen, but because she knew that even if the unexpected occurred, they were now prepared. The fear she once avoided had become a responsibility she had fulfilled with care.
For many Malaysian parents, estate planning sounds heavy, distant, or even inauspicious. But Amelia understood that it is one of the most loving things parents can do. It is not only about securing the inheritance for their children, but also about protecting their upbringing, their well-being, and their future.
A will without a designated guardian is incomplete. And insurance without a trust? It is almost equivalent to having funds that cannot be used. For families with children, estate planning is not just about passing on assets — it is about who will raise your children, how they will be supported, and whether they can still feel your love and protection even after you are gone.
As Amelia said to Daniel that night:
“We care for them every day while we’re alive. This is simply another way for us to continue protecting their future.”
About Rockwills International Group
Rockwills International Group has been established for 30 years and pioneered professional will-writing services in 1995. It has since grown into the nation’s leading estate planning specialist. Today, it is the largest provider of solutions and support services in the fields of trusts, inheritance, administration, and wealth distribution. It has drafted more than 320,000 wills, appointed over 200,000 executors and trustees, and manages more than RM 25 billion in trust assets.