- A Donor who wishes to make amendment to his/her LPA would have to revoke his/her existing registered LPA i.e. cancel the existing LPA, before making a new LPA with the desired changes incorporated. This includes a situation where the Donor wishes to change the Donee(s) or Replacement Donee.
What is the new online LPA process in OPGO?
Step 1: On OPGO, Donor completes LPA and system will route it to Donee(s).
Step 2: Donee(s) accepts appointment on OPGO.
Step 3: Upon all Donee(s) acceptance of appointment, Donor visits Certificate Issuer (CI)’s office for certification and signing of LPA.
Step 4: LPA is submitted by CI on OPGO.
Step 5: All Donor and Donee(s) will receive e-notifications when the submitted LPA is accepted for registration and upon registration. *
This process is only for LPA Form 1. For LPA Form 2, a Donor starts by visiting a lawyer to draft the LPA in OPGO. Access OPGO [here] and click the ‘Resources’ tab at the top of the screen to view our instructional videos and Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) on OPGO.
What types of decisions can my donee make on my behalf?
An LPA is a legal document and a deed. There are two versions of LPA Forms available:
• LPA Form 1 contains mostly checkboxes for Donors to grant general powers to their Donees with the option to select basic conditions or restrictions to these powers. This form can be self-completed by the Donors.
• LPA Form 2 contains mostly free text spaces where individuals can give specific powers to their needs. This form is to be drafted by a lawyer.
Your Donee may be authorised to make decisions regarding the broad categories of your personal welfare (including healthcare decisions) and/or property & affairs (including financial matters) if you choose to use LPA Form 1, or specific powers as drafted if you choose to use LPA Form 2. Donees are also given the authority to sign deeds on the Donor’s behalf.
How do I use the LPA as a donee?
A Donee is able to transact on a Donor’s behalf when the Donor has been certified by a registered medical practitioner to have lost mental capacity. When transacting with any third-party agency (e.g. banks, insurance agencies, HDB, CPFB, SLA, etc.), the Donee would need to produce the registered LPA and other supporting documents as required by the third party agency.
Examples of supporting documents may include the NRIC of the Donee(s) and a doctor's medical report stating that the Donor has lost mental capacity to manage his affairs. All registered medical practitioners are able to provide medical reports as proof that Donor has lost mental capacity and the Donee may rely on the LPA to transact on the Donor’s behalf. Medical practitioners need not be accredited by the Office of the Public Guardian for this purpose.
The Donee is advised to share the electronic registered LPA with individuals or third-party agencies via OPGO as this version is the latest. If Donee(s) does not have access to the Donor’s electronic LPA and is using the hardcopy LPA for transaction, agencies must check that the hardcopy LPA presented is still valid i.e. not revoked or suspended. Persons/agencies may check against the list of Revoked and Suspended LPAs.
The Donee should contact the third-party agency for clarifications on the supporting documents needed prior to your visit as each agency may have their own specific requirements.
An individual’s loss of mental capacity may be temporary or permanent. If the Donor regains capacity, the Donee must step aside for the Donor to make his own decisions. The LPA remains valid and can be used should the Donor lose mental capacity again.
What is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)?
An LPA is a legal document and a deed*, which allows a person who is at least 21 years of age ('Donor'), to voluntarily appoint one or more persons ('Donee(s)') to make decisions and act on his/her behalf if he/she loses mental capacity one day. A Donee can be appointed to act in the two broad areas of personal welfare and/or property & affairs matters. The LPA also gives the authority to the Donee to sign deeds on the Donor's behalf.
*Examples of deeds include:
An instrument used to appoint another individual to act on your behalf
An instrument used to transfer an interest in immovable property (in the case of an LPA, Donee(s) may be able to do so on behalf of the Donor if they are granted property & affairs powers as defined in the LPA)
My Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) application was rejected. Will I receive a refund?
You will receive a refund as long as you have made payment for your LPA application.
How do I make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)?
To make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA):
Step 1: Choose Your Donee(s)
A Donee is someone you appoint to make decisions for you (Donor) if you lose mental capacity. Choose someone you trust to be your Donee (aged 21 and above).
Step 2: Draft Your LPA Online Via OPG Online (OPGO)
Log in to OPGO via Singpass to fill up the online LPA application. Appoint trusted person(s) as your Donee(s) and decide on powers to be granted to them.
Donee(s) will log in to OPGO via Singpass to review your LPA, and accept appointment as Donee.
Step 3: Get Your LPA Certified
Visit a Certificate Issuer (CI) (Accredited Medical Practitioner, Practising Lawyer or Registered Psychiatrist) to have your LPA certified. Bring the mobile phone stated in your LPA, with the Singpass app installed, for digital signing.
Step 4: Your Digital LPA is Ready
Donor and Donee(s) will be notified of LPA status via SMS/email when your digital LPA is accepted and registered.
Click here for the Make Your LPA Online infographic.
Learn more about making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) at www.msf.gov.sg/opg.
How is the certification process by Certificate Issuer (CI) done via OPGO?
Step 1: Donor visits CI in person after Donee(s) accept the appointment
Step 2: CI logs in to OPGO and enters Donor's NRIC
Step 3:Donor receives access code via SMS and provides that to CI to retrieve the LPA
Step 4:CI reviews the LPA with Donor
Step 5:Donor and CI digitally sign on the LPA using the Singpass app installed on a smartphone.
You may refer to the [OPGO Quick Reference Guides (QRGs)] for step-by-step guidance on how to certify an LPA. Alternatively, as a Certificate Issuer, you may refer to the [Certificate Issuer guide].
How do I accept my appointment as Donee /Replacement Donee on OPGO? Do I need to sign on the LPA form?
Login to OPGO using Singpass, review the LPA and click on ‘Accept Appointment’ if you agree. There is no need for Donees or Replacement Donees to sign on the LPA.
You may refer to the [OPGO Quick Reference Guides] for step-by-step guidance on how to accept an appointment as Donee/Replacement Donee.
How can I check which LPA I am a Donee /Replacement Donee of?
Login to OPGO with your Singpass. The list of LPAs in which you are a Donee will be listed on the Overview page. The Replacement Donee will only be able to view the LPA when he/she becomes the Donee.Can I revoke (terminate) my LPA after it is registered?
Yes, at any time if you have the mental capacity to revoke (terminate) your LPA.
Your existing LPA can be revoked for the following reasons:
1. As a Donor, you reapply for a new LPA on OPGO
2. An event occurs with no surviving party:
* Death of Donor or Donee
* Liquidation, winding up, dissolution of Donee (as a corporation) or when placed under judicial management
* Donor or Donee becomes bankrupt (this only revokes the LPA so far as it relates to the Donor’s property and affairs)
* Dissolution (i.e. divorce) or annulment of a marriage between Donor and Donee (unless LPA states otherwise)
* Donee loses mental capacity
If you wish to revoke your existing LPA, you must:
1. Complete and sign the [revocation form].
2. Take reasonable steps to give written notice to every Donee that you are revoking the LPA by delivering it personally, sending it via post, or if the postal address is not known, via email.
3. Inform the Public Guardian of the revocation by providing the following items to the Office of the Public Guardian by post or email:
* The completed and signed revocation form, and
* A photocopy of your ID
* If you are also making a new LPA application, please do so via the OPG Online system (OPGO)
4. Pay the cancellation fee of $30 via [OPGO]. OPG will provide instructions on how to make payment via email before processing your revocation.
The Public Guardian may also require the Donor to provide further information or documents before cancelling the registration of the LPA.
What is the pro bono LPA certification or ACP facilitation service about?
OPG, AIC and PSD have jointly launched a three-year pre-planning campaign to increase awareness and adoption of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and Advance Care Planning (ACP).
As part of the campaign, there will be monthly mobile clinic sessions at different parts of Singapore, where LPA certification and ACP facilitation services will be offered by pro bono LPA Certificate Issuers (CI) and ACP facilitators from individual volunteers and organisations without charge. These services are available to Singapore citizens aged 50 years old and above, who are CHAS Blue and Orange card holders. There are limited slots available, and appointment booking is required. Visit our campaign site for details - [www.giftofcertainty.gov.sg/events] or follow My Legacy’s Facebook page at [www.facebook.com/mylegacylifesg].
Please note that the pro bono LPA certification and ACP facilitation service is only available at the mobile clinic sessions. You may still engage an LPA CI or ACP facilitator near you at a fee to have your LPA and ACP made. Please visit [mylegacy.life.gov.sg/find-a-service] to find a list of LPA CIs or ACP facilitators near you.
How do I submit Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Form 2?
An LPA Form 2 is for donors who wish to appoint more than 2 Donees, more than 1 Replacement Donee, or grant specific and customised powers to Donees. The submission of an LPA Form 2 is the same as that for Form 1 except that it must be drafted by a lawyer instead of the Donor.
For LPA submitted via OPG online (OPGO), after the LPA Form 2 is drafted by the lawyer and reviewed and accepted by you, the system will then route it to your Donee(s). Once your Donee(s) has accepted the appointment. You may visit a Certificate Issuer (CI) to for certification and signing of the LPA. Thereafter, the CI will submit your LPA form to OPG via OPGO.
For hardcopy LPA submission, once certified, you(or your lawyer) may send the LPA form along with a photocopy of your Donee(s)' and your NRIC/FIN/Passport to the following address:
20 Lengkok Bahru
#04-02
Family@Enabling Village
Singapore 159053
Please note that no refund will be given once the LPA application is submitted to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) regardless of the application outcome, including rejection.
98% of Singapore Citizens who have made an LPA used the LPA Form 1. Donors who wish to grant Donee(s) general powers with basic restrictions can use LPA Form 1 via Office of the Public Guardian Online (OPGO).
What is the latest amendment to the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) about?
The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) requires the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to state on the form that the donor intended it to be a deed.
Due to an accidental omission by MSF, the electronic LPAs certified between 14 Nov 2022 and 4 Jan 2024 did not state this. MSF is therefore amending the MCA to validate these LPAs as deeds.
More information can be found in MSF’s press release.
Why is the letter about the GST to be refunded per individual for the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) application/registration fees for Professional Deputy (PD) only sent out in March?
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) will require time for the system to generate records of the parties affected by the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) application/registration fees for Professional Deputy (PD), and ensure that all details are accurate before sending out the letters. We seek your understanding and patience on this.