Deputyship

Deputyship is how the Mental Capacity Act answers the question every parent of an autistic child eventually asks: who can legally decide for our child once they are an adult? A deputy is appointed by the Family Justice Courts to make decisions — most often about money and property — on behalf of an adult who cannot make them personally.

The practical layer

• Two tracks, as of July 2026. The simplified track — S$40 filing fee, filed online via iFAMS, usually completed within 4–6 weeks — fits uncontested cases where the monies to be withdrawn are up to S$80,000 (CPF considered separately up to S$60,000). The standard track carries S$300–S$500 in court fees and usually completes within 3–4 months.
• Lawyers are the real cost. The simplified track is designed to be done without one; on the standard route, Singapore law firms publish fees of S$3,000–S$9,000.
• Afterwards, deputies report annually to the Office of the Public Guardian on the decisions made and monies handled.

If your child is approaching SPED graduation, ADAP packages the whole application for S$40 — the single most valuable deadline in future-care planning. The full walkthrough is in our step-by-step deputyship guide.