Lasting Power of Attorney: Ensuring Your Peace of Mind and Empowering Your Loved Ones

A Lasting Power of Attorney – also called an LPA – is a legal document which allows you (the ‘donor’) to appoint one or more persons you trust to make decisions for you, if you are unable to make decisions for yourself because of a loss of mental capacity. This includes decisions about medical treatment, where you live, and even day-to-day matters such as your diet and daily routine. You are free to appoint just one person or more (known as a “donee” or “attorney”).

1. Autonomy and Preferences: An LPA ensures that your preferences and values are respected, even when you cannot express them. It provides a mechanism to ensure that medical and personal care decisions are made in alignment with your wishes. This is crucial for maintaining personal dignity and autonomy.
2. Peace of Mind: Knowing that a trusted person will make decisions can provide immense peace of mind for you and your loved ones. It removes the uncertainty and potential conflicts among family members during critical and often stressful times.
3. Timely Decisions: In the absence of an LPA, decisions about medical care may be delayed or made by healthcare professionals or courts, which might not always align with your preferences. An donee or attorney can act quickly and efficiently, making timely decisions that are in your best interest.
4. Legal and Financial Benefits: Without an LPA, families might need to go through lengthy and expensive legal procedures to gain the authority to make decisions. An LPA simplifies this process, providing a clear legal framework for decision-making.
5. Complex Medical Situations: Should you have chronic illnesses or deteriorating health, an LPA ensures that decisions regarding complex medical treatments and end-of-life care are handled according to your wishes. This is particularly important in ensuring that you receive care that aligns with your values and desires.

Overall, an LPA is a vital tool for safeguarding your preferences and ensuring that your voice is heard even when you cannot speak for yourself. It empowers trusted individuals to make compassionate and informed decisions, providing a safety net for the future.

Your may select to give your donee(s) powers to decide matters about:

• Your personal welfare (including medical decisions)
• Your property & affairs
• Both your personal welfare and property & affairs

In Singapore, there are two different prescribed LPA forms to cater to the varying  needs of individuals. These forms then need to be submitted online to the Office of Public Guardian (OPG) by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), together  with confirmation from a Certificate Issuer (CI).

• LPA Form 1: Standard version you use to grant general powers with basic restrictions to your donee(s). Singapore citizens who submit this before 31 March 2026 will have their application fees waived.
• LPA Form 2: For those who have non-standard requirements and wish to grant customised powers to donee(s). This form needs to be drafted by a lawyer.

Here are the essential step by step:

1. Nominate Donee(s) online via OPG
2. Donee(s) to accept nomination online
3. Visit a Certificate Issuer (CI) – a registered physician, lawyer or psychiatrist
4. CI to assess and confirm your LPA, after which an online submission is made to your application to OPG
5. LPA is confirmed and in place when you and Donee(s) are notified online via OPG