SINGAPORE – Since the government launched a campaign to promote succession planning in July 2023, nearly 56,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and above have prepared a durable power of attorney (LPA).

A total of 233,000 Singaporeans in this age group have completed the LPA, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Mr Eric Chua said at an appreciation event for volunteers and partners participating in the campaign on October 25.

He added that the campaign was “well on track” to exceed its target of having 240,000 Singaporeans get their LPAs by the end of 2025.

An LPA is a legal document that allows a person to appoint another person to make decisions on their behalf if they become mentally incapacitated, for example due to dementia.

Legacy planning involves individuals informing and communicating their preferences and decisions about their care and finances, for example to loved ones, in the event of their death or loss of mental capacity.

This is done through tools such as LPA, will, Central Provident Fund nomination and advance care plan.

By documenting the person’s values ​​and healthcare preferences, an advance care plan will guide the healthcare team and the person’s loved ones in making decisions that are in their best interest should they lose mental capacity.

More than 13,000 preliminary maintenance plans have been made in the 15 months since the campaign started in July 2023, bringing the total number of these plans to over 50,000. The campaign is organized by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), the Ministry of Health, the Department of Integrated Care and the Department of Public Service.

Mr Chua said there was still a need to raise more awareness, dispel misperceptions and normalize conversations about succession planning.

The Straits Times understands that some people mistakenly believe that the cost of estate planning is too high or that their next of kin automatically have the right to act on their behalf if they are mentally disabled.

This is because the majority of Singaporeans, including many elderly, have not made LPA and advance care plans.

So the Government will continue to encourage Singaporeans to start thinking about such issues, including by training professionals in the financial sector to share legacy planning tools with the public.

An MSF spokesperson told ST there had been a “remarkable” increase in the number of young people signing up to LPA in recent years.

When the LPA was introduced in 2010, only 2 percent of applicants were under 50 years of age. By the end of September 2024, this rate increased to 24 percent.

Along with greater awareness of inheritance planning, more young Singaporeans are taking care of their elderly parents.

Some of these carers faced difficulties managing the affairs of loved ones who had not made an LPA before losing mental capacity. Carers may even have to apply to the courts to act on the person’s behalf.

This could encourage them to apply for an LPA to give themselves and their loved ones greater confidence, an MSF spokesperson said.

An MSF spokesperson said more than 95 percent of individuals choose family members to act on their behalf should they lose mental capacity.

Dr., 39, an emergency medicine specialist at HMI Medical Center. Sanjeev Shanker also witnesses and documents people’s LPA forms as the LPA certificate issuer.

He said accidents and illnesses that negatively impact people’s judgment and decision-making abilities are unpredictable and can happen to anyone, regardless of age.

When young people had accidents, heart attacks or strokes, he saw it “more than he wanted in the accident and emergency department.”

He said some of the families disagreed about what the patient’s wishes were, leading to bitter arguments between family members.

That’s why young people should start considering making an LPA, he said, because it ensures they have someone they trust who understands their personal preferences well and can make important health or property decisions on their behalf if the need arises.

“This provides peace of mind for both you and your loved ones,” he said.