Estate Planning Checklist—Writing Your Will, LPA, and More

Not a lot of people like to think about dying, let alone plan for your death. But that’s exactly what estate planning is.

It might seem morbid to make preparations while you’re still very much alive. But planning what will happen to your financial assets and doing the paperwork now can save your family members a whole lot of hassle, pain and broken relationships in the future.

That said, we know it’s difficult to do. That’s why we’ve broken down the concept of estate planning into 7 simple steps.

What is estate planning?

The word “estate” sounds like it only applies to people who own ranches or haciendas, but it actually refers to any amount of assets someone has when they die. This might include cash in a bank account, a property or a life insurance policy.

Estate planning involves managing your assets and affairs for when you die or become incapacitated, such as by deciding who gets what and (if you’re still alive but incapacitated) who gets to make decisions on your behalf.

1. Will writing

A will indicates how you want your assets to be distributed with you die, and can also include other details such as conditions for distribution (eg. your child will only receive his/her inheritance upon reaching a certain age) and handling (eg. a trust is to be set up in your name).

If you have children, you can also appoint a guardian for them in the event of your and your spouse’s death.

Do I need a lawyer to write a will?

Technically, anyone 21 years old and above can write a will without hiring a lawyer or using a will-writing service. But the tricky part is making sure your will is valid and that your desires are clearly and unambiguously expressed in the wording of the will.

What makes a will valid?

In order for your will to be valid, it must meet these requirements:

You must be at least 21 years old
You’re making your will voluntarily and are of sound mind
Your will is printed or handwritten on a paper document
You sign at the foot of your will in-person, in the presence of 2 witnesses

Your 2 witnesses must also be aged at least 21 and cannot be beneficiaries of your will or spouses of beneficiaries.

If you want to be super sure your will is legally valid, get a lawyer involved. Hiring a lawyer to write a simple will usually costs about $200 to $400. Companies like SimplyWills and MoneyOwl also offer will-writing services; there’s no shortage these days.

What happens if you die without a will?

Your assets will be distributed according to the Intestate Succession Act, under which your spouse, children, and parents are usually the first in line to receive your assets. If you’ve no surviving relatives, your assets go to the government.

2. CPF nomination

The money in your CPF accounts cannot be distributed through a will. In order to decide who gets it when you die, you will need to make a CPF nomination.

A CPF nomination can be made online on the CPF website after logging in with your Singpass. You will need to get 2 witnesses with valid Singpasses to act as your witnesses through the website.

With the online CPF nomination, you can nominate up to 15 people to receive your CPF savings. If you have more than 15 people in mind, you have to make the nomination in person at a CPF Service Centre.

3. Life insurance

If you pass away while still holding on to a life insurance policy or any other type of insurance with death benefits (e.g. personal accident insurance), your beneficiaries will receive a payout.

In order to determine who gets the payouts of your insurance policy when you die, you must make a beneficiary nomination. This is not compulsory, so it’s possible you did not make one when you signed up.

In most cases, you can distribute your insurance proceeds through your will without having to make a nomination. However, if you wish to make a trust nomination, which is an irrevocable nomination electing your spouse and/or kids as beneficiaries, this takes precedence over your will.

So, how do you make a nomination? Simply ask your insurance company or agent for the necessary form, fill it in, get the signatures of 2 witnesses at least 21 years old, and submit.

4. Other types of insurance

Some types of insurance policies, such as savings plans or retirement annuities, will accumulate cash value that doesn’t dissipate when you die.

Instead, the cash value will be transferred to your beneficiaries. Since these policies typically come with life insurance protection, you can distribute your returns in the same way as you would any other life insurance policy.

Contact your insurer or agent for a nomination form, indicate your desired beneficiaries, get two witnesses to sign and submit the form to your insurer.

5. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

One day in the distant future, you might lose mental capacity to the point where you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.

Not saying that will definitely happen, but just in case, you might want to appoint someone to make those decisions on your behalf through an LPA, or Lasting Power of Attorney.

The person you appoint should be someone you can trust will truly act in your best interests. This is particularly important if there are family members in your midst who you suspect will let their own interests take precedence over yours.

If you wouldn’t trust them with the TV remote control, let alone with your life, you want to prevent these people from having power over you should the worst happen.

How to make an LPA

There are 4 main steps:

Choose your donee—the person who will make decisions for you if you’re unable to. Pick someone you trust!
Draft your LPA online by logging in to the Office of the Public Guardian Online (OPGO) using Singpass.
Get your LPA certified by a doctor, lawyer or psychiatrist. Certified LPAs are submitted to the OPGO immediately for registration.
Both you and your donee will be notified via SMS/email once the LPA is accepted and registered.

Types of LPA forms

There are 2 types of LPA forms:

LPA Form 1: If you wish to grant Donee(s) general powers with basic restrictions.
LPA Form 2: If you wish to grant Donee(s) customised powers. Should you choose this option, you need to get a lawyer involved to draft the clauses in your LPA Form 2.

Most Singapore Citizen (98% of them!) keep things simple and opt for LPA Form 1.

	LPA Form 1	LPA Form 2
Singapore Citizens	$0 (fee of $70 waived until 31 Mar 2026)	$185
Singapore Permanent Residents	$90	$230
Foreigners	$230	$275

Source: MSF

6. Advance Medical Directive (AMD)

An Advance Medical Directive or AMD is a legal document which prevents your family from prolonging your life using extraordinary life-sustaining treatment.

For instance, if you fall into a coma or become terminally ill, your family won’t be able to keep you alive for an extended period by hooking you up to certain types of machines.

Note that an AMD is made through a doctor, not a lawyer. There are 2 ways to get an AMD form:

On the Ministry of Health website
At medical clinics, polyclinics and hospitals, or speak to your doctor directly

Your next step is to make a doctor’s appointment and sign the form in the presence of the doctor and another witness over the age of 21, who can be a nurse or other employee at the clinic. You then submit the completed form to the Registrar of Advance Medical Directives. You will receive an acknowledgement when the AMD has been successfully registered.

7. Trust

Most Singaporeans don’t set up trusts, since there is no capital gains tax or estate duty in Singapore. But if you’ve got assets across jurisdictions or are rich enough to worry about your wealth being protected and preserved after you die, then you should see a lawyer about setting up a trust.

A trust enables you to manage your assets and investments from beyond the grave (through appointed trustees, not ouija boards), to ensure greater longevity and tax savings for your wealth.

For instance, if you pass away before your children become adults, you can have your investments managed in a trust, with the kids as beneficiaries.

Private trusts are confidential, which is why some people use them to hide any wealth they’re bequeathing to a second family or secret lover. They can thus be a good way to keep tongues from wagging or rifts from forming in the family when you’re gone.

Trust planning is not something you can do by yourself, so definitely consult a lawyer.

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