Of LPAs, wills and CPF nominations

What my Hari Raya visits taught me about CPF nominations, LPAs and why a will matters more than you think.

By Khalil Adis

Rendang, ketupat and chicken cooked in a traditional green chilli coconut gravy (Ayam Lemak Cili Padi) - the Hari Raya table that sparked a conversation about LPAs, wills and CPF nominations. Photo: Khalil Adis.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri has always been a joyous occasion in my family.

But this year's celebration hit different.

When I visited my elderly relatives, some had just been discharged from hospital.

Others were dealing with chronic health conditions.

The usual pleasantries like "how are you," and "how's the family”, gave way to something heavier.

We found ourselves talking about mental incapacity, death, and whether any of us had made sufficient preparations for when that moment comes.

For the longest time, these were conversations my relatives would avoid.

But with several deaths in the family over the years, there is no sidestepping them anymore.
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A greying population

A photo of an elderly man in an HDB flat. Photo courtesy of Lgh_9 by Pexels.

Singapore's ageing demographic is well-documented but the numbers still give pause.

According to the Singapore Department of Statistics, the proportion of citizens aged 65 and above is rising faster than in the previous decade.

The median age of the citizen population edged up from 43.4 to 43.7 years between June 2024 and June 2025.

And the number of citizens aged 80 and above has jumped roughly 60 percent - from 91,000 in 2015 to 145,000 in 2025.

The real question behind these numbers: as our population ages, are our elderly actually prepared?

And when they're not, who bears the burden?

From my Hari Raya visits, it is clear some relatives are not prepared.

A few refuse to face reality altogether, assuming a CPF nomination is sufficient.

Others say they do not need a will and automatically assumes their property will undergo a faraid (not true for a property held under a joint tenancy) and that their beneficiaries will know what to do.

It isn’t -  and when the time comes, that gap in planning can cause confusion, disagreements and lasting rifts among family members.

I had seen this all before at the hospital and funerals.

Lasting Power of Attorney

Screengrab for a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) online application from the Office of the Public Guardian, Ministry of Social and Family Development, website.

This is precisely why the government has been ramping up public education on the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). 

Barely a day goes by without a dramatised segment on Warna, our local Malay radio station, driving home why having one matters.

To push more Singaporeans to act, the government announced that LPA Form 1 applications will be permanently free for all Singapore citizens from April 1.

The move came after Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming revealed in Parliament on March 5 that only about 404,000 Singapore citizens - roughly one in seven - had made an LPA as of February 20.

Among those aged 65 and above, the figure was slightly better but still sobering: about one in four, or 197,000 people.

But what happens when someone loses mental capacity before an LPA is done?

Then the cost goes up significantly - by up to $9,000.

In such a scenario, the family member will need to apply for a deputyship with the Family Justice Court.

Depending on complexity, it can take up to six months.

Therefore, it is advisable to do an LPA immediately while our loved ones still have mental capacity.

Wills

Photo by Alena Darmel courtesy of Pexels.

If LPAs get a lukewarm response, wills get outright resistance.

Among my relatives, the pushback is real and the misconceptions are plenty.

The most common one: "I don't need a will because my estate will go through faraid anyway."

That's not entirely true.

If you own a property under a joint tenancy, it does not automatically fall under faraid distribution -  it passes to the surviving owner.

A will helps clarify your intentions and ensures your assets are distributed the way you actually want.

Then there's the "my family will know what to do" camp.

With respect -  they probably won’t and the process will be painful for them.

Without a will, the surviving family members will have to apply for a Grant of Letters of Administration to manage your estate.

That can take up to two years and cost up to $5,000.

Trust me, I have seen friends go through this.

The entire process is stressful, expensive and entirely avoidable.

With a will, the process is significantly simpler - typically around $1,000 and up to three months.

You name an executor and trustee who can then settle your debts, handle Islamic claims, funeral and burial expenses, and distribute your properties, savings and possessions according to faraid and the Inheritance Certificate issued by the Syariah Court.

It is one of the most considerate things you can do for the people you leave behind.
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CPF nominations

Screengrab from CPF's website where you can make a nomination online.

Of the three, CPF nominations are the most straightforward and yet many still have not done so.

A CPF nomination determines who receives your CPF savings after you are no longer around and how much each person gets.

Without one, your CPF savings will be transferred to the Public Trustee's Office, which will then distribute them according to intestacy laws - a process that takes time and comes with administrative fees deducted from the savings itself.

With a nomination in place, your loved ones receive the money directly in cash, faster and without the hassle.

The whole process takes minutes and can be done online via the CPF Board's website.

So here's my question for you  and I say this as someone who had these conversations over ketupat and rendang this Hari Raya: have you done your LPA, your will and your CPF nomination?

If the answer is no, or not yet, now is the time.

Not because we are being morbid but because it is one of the most loving and practical things we can do for the people we leave behind.

Death is inevitable.

The confusion, the disputes and the burden on our families -  those are optional.