Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

The Office of the Public Guardian describes the LPA as a legal document that allows a person at least 21 years of age — the donor — to voluntarily appoint one or more donees to make decisions and act on their behalf if they lose mental capacity one day. The key word is voluntarily: an LPA is made by the person, not for them, and only while they have mental capacity.

Why it matters to autism families twice over

• For your child: an autistic adult who has mental capacity can make their own LPA after 21 and choose their own donees. One who cannot make an LPA is exactly who deputyship exists for — two routes, and only one may be open to your family.
• For you: your own LPA is part of your child’s safety net. The trust and savings schemes built for special-needs families activate on a parent’s death or incapacity — an LPA is how your own affairs stay decidable in that second case.

As of July 2026, LPA Form 1 is free of charge for Singapore Citizens from 1 April 2026 (S$30 for PRs, S$160 for foreigners; the customised Form 2 costs S$30 and needs a lawyer to draft). The professional fee for the certificate issuer who witnesses the LPA is separate.