Legal document appointing someone (a 'donee') to make personal and financial decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document in Singapore that lets you appoint someone (a 'donee') to make personal welfare and financial decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity due to dementia, stroke, accident, or illness.
Without an LPA, family members must apply to the Family Court for a Deputyship Order — a months-long, expensive process that creates real hardship at the worst time.
Personal welfare decisions: where you live, who you see, what medical treatment you receive, daily care arrangements.
Property and affairs decisions: managing bank accounts, paying bills, selling property, handling CPF withdrawals (subject to CPF Act).
You can appoint one donee for both or separate donees for each domain.
Form 1: standard LPA with default powers granted to donee. Simpler. Filing fee historically S$50 for Singapore Citizens (currently waived for citizens until further notice).
Form 2: customisable LPA with specific restrictions or extensions to donee powers. Requires a lawyer to draft. Costs S$200 – S$500+.
Most Singaporeans choose Form 1 — adequate for typical situations and the standard powers cover most foreseeable needs.
Singpass to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) e-Service. Complete Form 1 online.
Find an LPA Certificate Issuer (typically a doctor or lawyer) to certify you understand the document and aren't being coerced.
Submit the form for OPG registration. Process takes ~3 weeks.
Update your nominated donees over time. People who agreed to be donee at 30 may not be appropriate at 60 — review every 5 – 10 years.
Pair with a Will and CPF Nomination for full estate planning. The trio covers most contingencies — incapacity (LPA), CPF distribution (CPF Nomination), and asset distribution after death (Will).
A legal document where you (the 'donor') appoint someone (a 'donee') to make personal welfare and financial decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity due to dementia, stroke, accident, or illness. Activated only on incapacity — not while you're well.
Without an LPA, family members must apply to the Family Court for a Deputyship Order — a months-long, expensive process during an already-stressful time. An LPA executes immediately on incapacity, with no court involvement. Cost: free for Form 1 via OPG (currently waived for SCs).
Form 1: standard LPA with default donee powers. Simpler, online via Singpass. Form 2: customisable LPA with specific restrictions or expanded donee powers. Requires a lawyer to draft, costs S$200 – S$500+. Most people only need Form 1.
Apply online via the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) e-Service using Singpass. Find an LPA Certificate Issuer (typically a doctor or lawyer) to certify you understand the document. Submit. Processing takes ~3 weeks. Done before retirement, before any health crisis.