MEDIA RELEASE
NEW ONLINE PORTAL FOR LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY
With effect from 14 November 2022, individuals can make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) with greater ease, convenience, and security using a new Office of the Public Guardian Online system (OPGO).
2. OPGO enables all transactions with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) to be done online. This follows amendments[1]to the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) passed in Parliament in July 2021.
3. “With OPG Online, it is now easier and more convenient to make your LPA and plan ahead. In this Year of Celebrating SG Families, I encourage everyone to plan ahead, for yourself and your loved ones.", said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Social and Family Development, Mr Eric Chua.
Making an online LPA
4. With the launch of OPGO, all LPAs will be made online instead of using the current hardcopy form, and digitally signed via Singpass. Details of the new application and digital signing process are at Annex A. Hardcopy LPA form may still be accepted in exceptional situations[2], subject to the Public Guardian's approval.
5. OPGO uses Myinfo to pre-fill the LPA form with verified personal particulars, with the user's consent. The processing and registration time for LPAs will be halved from three weeks to one and a half weeks (excluding the mandatory three-week waiting period [3]).
6. All donors and donees, including those who registered their LPAs before the OPGO launch, will be able to view their LPAs in OPGO. Donors may also share their online LPA with trusted person(s). After the donor has lost mental capacity, donee(s) may share the online LPA with third party agencies to facilitate transactions on behalf of the donor. Frequently asked questions related to LPAs are at Annex B.
Submitting an online deputy report
7. With OPGO, deputies will file deputy reports through a simplified, secured and guided online process. Details of the new reporting process can be found at Annex C.
8. For deputies, OPGO is further equipped with the following features
- Finance Tracker helps deputies to conveniently track expenses spent and monies received by deputies on behalf of the person without mental capacity.
- Task Listhelps deputies to understand their responsibilities and track their duties as set out in the court orders.
A list of FAQs related to deputy reporting can be found in Annex B.
Safeguards to protect users and prevent fraud
9. MSF has put in place data protection measures to prevent data loss or theft, unauthorised access as well as undue disclosure. All personal information in OPGO is stored and secured on government servers, in compliance with the Government's data security
and data protection measures. In addition, real-time notifications will be sent via SMS[4] and/or email to all parties throughout the LPA-making process, providing instant status updates and
confirmation of actions taken by all parties.
10. OPG has also retained the requirement for donors to meet Certificate Issuers (CIs) in-person for LPA certification. This requirement serves as a safeguard for CIs to ensure that the donor understands the LPA made and is not induced by fraud or undue
pressure to make one. The use of Singpass digital signing further eliminates risk of forgery of signatures and prevents tampering and alteration of the digital LPA.
Assisting Singaporeans in going digital
11. The LPA application service in OPGO as well as instructional videos will be in English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil languages. Members of the public who need help on the e-LPA application services can approach CitizenConnect Centres at selected Community Clubs and ServiceSG Centres. Details and operating hours of assistance can be found in Annex D.
Existing donors and LPAs
12. All hardcopy LPAs registered prior to the launch of OPGO remain valid but will be converted to electronic versions in OPGO. Donors and Donees will be notified to verify the accuracy of the online LPAs and will be given 90 days from the date of notification to do so.
13. Hardcopy LPAs certified prior to the launch of OPGO can still be submitted within 6 months from the date of the donor's signature on the LPA form.
14. Members of the public may visit https://msf.gov.sg/opg or call the MSF hotline at 1800 111 2222 for queries on OPGO and the LPA application process.
List of Annexes
AnnexA – Current vs. New LPA application process
Annex B – LPA and Deputyship LAQs
Annex C – Current vs. New deputy reporting process
Annex D –OPGO_Assistance_Points " style="" data-sf-ec-immutable=""> OPGO Assistance Points
Annex E – Translation of Key Terms
ISSUED BY
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT (MSF)
15 OCTOBER 2022
[1]The MCA amendments enable
- LPAs to be made and registered electronically via OPGO;
- Recognition of electronically signed LPAs as deeds, without need for wet-ink signatures or seals;
- Conversion of hardcopy registered LPAs to electronic LPAs in OPGO;
- Disclosure by the Public Guardian to Donors, the number of LPAs his prospective Donee has been appointed in.
[2]Exceptional situations include system unavailability, or where Donor/Donee/Replacement Donee is (i) unable to use OPGO due to physical disability or other circumstances; (ii) ineligible for Singpass account/National Digital Identity or (iii) without an electronic device to access Singpass.
[3]Under the Mental Capacity Act, there is a mandatory 3-week waiting period, after which the LPA will be registered if there are no valid objections raised.
[4]To guard against scams, SMS notifications sent to parties would only be from SMS ID “MSF". All parties will not be asked to reply to the SMS, click any links, or provide any information to the sender. Messages on the process will not be sent via WhatsApp or other mobile app messaging platforms.