More Chinese embrace making wills earlier in life

More Chinese are embracing the making of wills, shifting away from traditional taboos that associate the practice with death or bad luck, as wills help prevent financial risks and family disputes.

The average age of people making wills in China has steadily decreased over the past 12 years, falling to 67.71 in 2024, according to a white paper recently released by the China Will Registration Center. The center, a public charitable initiative launched by the China Ageing Development Foundation in 2013, provides consultancy services and registers wills.

As of Dec 31, the center had offered will-making consultations to 572,141 people since its inception. A total of 357,512 wills have been registered and stored at the center, with 12,261 having taken effect.

The white paper said that the majority of people making wills in 2024 were between 60 and 70 years old, accounting for 52.9 percent of all wills registered that year.

While making a will remains most common among the elderly, younger adults have also shown a growing interest. The number of young and middle-aged people registering wills at the center saw steady growth from 2017 to 2023, reaching 7,124 in 2023. However, the figure dropped slightly in 2024 to 5,468.

Although the white paper did not define "young and middle-aged" groups, in China, people ages 30 to 39 are generally considered young adults, while those between 40 and 49 are typically classified as middle-aged.

Avoiding property disputes is a key reason for people to make wills, particularly for remarried individuals, according to the white paper. The number of remarried people registering wills at the center has steadily increased since 2017, reaching 12,424 as of last year, with more than 80 percent of them being older than 60.

Among remarried individuals making wills, 40.25 percent said their primary concern was ensuring financial support for their parents, while 28.24 percent sought to prevent loss of property. The report said that remarried couples tend to be more cautious in their property planning.

"More Chinese are recognizing the importance of making wills to protect their assets, and a growing number of young people are embracing the practice," said Yao Junchang, co-founder of W&H Law Firm in Beijing.

Yao noted that most people make wills to prevent family disputes over inheritance. While various methods exist, government-run notary offices remain the most reliable option for drafting a legally binding will, he said.

chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn