Where there's a will there's a way

Shanghai residents are increasingly willing to make wills as a result of a more open mindset.

More people under 70 years old are registering their wills with the China Will Registration Center Shanghai branch than those in their 70s, 80s and 90s, according to a white paper released by the center on Thursday.

Established in 2017, the center has helped more than 6,600 people register their wills. These include 27 foreigners who have property on the Chinese mainland.

Data from the white paper shows that last year more than 43 percent of will registrants in Shanghai were under 70, an increase of 8 percent over 2017. 

The proportion of registrants in their 70s was some 35 percent, down by 7 percent from 2017. Elders in their 80s or above were 21 percent of the registrants, a drop of 2 percent from 2017.

Chen Kai, director of the center's management committee, said the increase was because those just entering old age had a more open mind. The center was also actively encouraging people to prepare wills.

"We advise people to register a will as early as possible," said Tian Yan, an official with the China Will Registration Center Shanghai branch. "It's not only a disposition of their property, but also a responsibility to their families."

Another trend is that more people are leaving their property to their spouses first and then to the children. 

In 2017, more than half of the registrants directed their children directly inherit their property, while only 5 percent of registrants left the property to their spouses. 

Last year the former figure declined to 32 percent while the latter increased to 24 percent.

"More elderly people made such decision to protect the spouses' rights and guarantee the spouses' later life," Tian said.

Zhang Aoqi, 75, and his wife both have registered wills at the branch. 

The couple have two daughters, one living overseas and the other in Shanghai. 

"I think it's good to have a will," said Zhang. "Many families have unpleasant disputes which can be avoided (with will registration). For elderly people, it's better to explain our wish to the children and let them know what we want than leaving a mess and endless wars."

The China Will Registration Center had provided will registration services to 127,968 elderly people by 2018, and the number of people registering their wills is increasing. 

So far it has branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.