What a Lasting Power of Attorney Is

Most of estate planning is about death. The LPA is about something harder to picture — being alive but unable to decide. (Planning for capacity, not just death.)

A Lasting Power of Attorney, or LPA, is the document people most often skip and most often regret skipping. It is the only part of an estate plan that operates while you are still alive. It lets you appoint one or more people you trust — your "donees" — to make decisions for you if you later lose mental capacity through illness, an accident, a stroke, or dementia.

An LPA covers two areas. Property and affairs lets your donee manage your money, pay your bills, and deal with your bank and property. Personal welfare lets your donee make decisions about your care and living arrangements. You choose which powers to grant and can set limits and conditions.

Singapore offers two forms. Form 1 is the standard version, suitable for most people, granting your donee general powers. Form 2 is for those who want to confer customised or wider powers and must be drawn up with a lawyer. Either way, a certificate issuer — a doctor, lawyer or accredited professional — must confirm you understand what you are signing and are not under undue pressure, before it is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.

There is good news on cost. From 1 April 2026, the application fee for Form 1 is permanently waived for Singapore citizens, removing a long-standing barrier. (A certificate issuer's professional fee still applies.) The key requirement is timing: you can only make an LPA while you still have mental capacity. Leave it too late and the option is gone — replaced by the slower court route covered next.

Illustrative example: the two areas an LPA covers

The chart lays out the LPA's two domains — property and affairs, and personal welfare — with examples of the decisions each lets your donee make. Together they show what your donee can step in to handle, and why choosing the right person matters.