KUALA LUMPUR: More Malaysians are formalising their legacy plans, although concerns remain over whether their wealth will last beyond the next generation, according to a Sun Life Asia survey.
The survey found that 37% of Malaysian respondents had fully documented and communicated their legacy plans in 2026, up from 15% last year and the highest proportion among the six Asian markets surveyed.
The proportion of Malaysians without a legacy plan fell to 10% from 23%.
However, 80% of Malaysians planning to leave financial assets or wealth were concerned that it would not last beyond the next generation, compared with 70% regionally. Only 23% say they feel fully prepared for their legacy today.
Market volatility was the main concern at 54%, followed by beneficiaries' preparedness at 49% and family conflict at 47%.
Sun Life Malaysia president and country head Ho Teck Seng said the findings showed that documenting a legacy plan was only one part of preparing for wealth transfer.
“The continuing concern about whether wealth will last shows that documentation is only one part of preparedness.
“Families also need to consider what they want their wealth to achieve, whether those intentions are understood and whether future beneficiaries are ready for the responsibilities they may inherit,” he said in a statement.
The survey also found that 58% of Malaysians felt fully or somewhat prepared for their legacy, up from 47% in 2025.
Among Malaysians intending to leave financial assets or wealth, 90% of millennials were concerned that their wealth might not survive beyond the next generation, compared with 82% of Gen Z respondents and 71% each for Gen X and baby boomers.
Education was the most commonly cited legacy priority, selected by 51% of respondents, followed by wealth at 49% and family traditions at 44%.
Meanwhile, 83% of respondents intended to leave financial assets or wealth, with 53% wanting the assets invested for long-term growth, 52% to support family members and 50% to fund education.
The survey found that 45% of Malaysian respondents had sought professional advice on legacy planning, while another 35% were interested in doing so in the future.
The study surveyed 3,073 people across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, including 506 respondents in Malaysia.
