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.