Singapore Legacy Planning: LPA Form 1 Applications Made Free for Citizens From April
Government removes S$70 fee to encourage more Singaporeans to plan ahead
Singapore will make applications for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Form 1 free for all citizens from April 1, in a move aimed at encouraging more people to plan for future decision-making if they lose mental capacity.
LPA Applications to Become Free
Applications for Lasting Power of Attorney Form 1 will be free for all Singapore citizens starting April 1. The move was announced by Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming in Parliament on March 5.
The S$70 application fee had previously been waived temporarily for citizens, but the government has now decided to make the waiver permanent.
Growing Uptake of Legacy Planning
As of Feb 20, about 404,000 Singapore citizens, or roughly one in seven, have made an LPA. Among those aged 65 and above, around 197,000 people, or about one in four seniors, have completed the process.
The government had earlier set a target in 2023 to have more than 240,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and above create their LPAs by the end of 2025.
What an LPA Allows
An LPA allows individuals to appoint a trusted person to make decisions on their behalf if they lose mental capacity. These decisions can include matters related to personal welfare, finances and property.
LPA Form 1, which grants general powers to appointed individuals known as donees, accounts for about 98 percent of LPAs created by Singapore citizens.
Additional Certification Requirements
Applicants must also obtain certification from an authorised Certificate Issuer to confirm that they understand the implications of creating an LPA.
Accredited doctors, lawyers and registered psychiatrists can provide this certification, with fees varying widely depending on the provider.
Efforts to Improve Public Awareness
The Ministry of Social and Family Development said it will continue efforts to encourage more Singaporeans to prepare LPAs while they are still healthy and able to make decisions.
Authorities are also working to simplify the application process and make information available in different languages to help seniors better understand the system.
Making LPA Form 1 applications free marks another step in Singapore’s effort to encourage proactive legacy planning in an ageing society. By removing financial barriers and improving accessibility, the government hopes more citizens will take early steps to ensure their personal and financial affairs are properly managed if they become unable to decide for themselves.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , MSF GOV (2026)
Keywords: LPA Form 1 Singapore, Lasting Power Of Attorney Policy, MSF Legacy Planning, Office Of The Public Guardian, Singapore Ageing Policy