Over 350,000 Singaporeans Have Drawn Up Lasting Power of Attorney

About 290,000 of them are aged 50 and above, exceeding MSF's goal by 50,000

- Syarafana Shafeeq

More than 350,000 Singaporeans have made their lasting power of attorney (LPA) as at Aug 15, amid efforts over the past two years to encourage people to be more active in their legacy planning.

An LPA allows people to appoint a trusted person, usually a family member, to take charge of matters like personal welfare, property and finances if they lose mental capacity.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) previously set a goal in 2023 to have more than 240,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and above make their LPAs by end-2025.

Of the 350,000 Singaporeans who have made their LPAs as at Aug 15, about 290,000 are aged 50 and above, exceeding the goal by 50,000.

Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming said on Sept 1 that over 80,000 advance care plans (ACPs) have also been completed. ACPs allow people to document their preferences for medical treatment in advance in case they become mentally incapacitated.

About 1.8 million people have also made their Central Provident Fund (CPF) nominations.

Mr Goh said that, in general, four in five people who die would have made a nomination.