The short version

  • Will → who gets your estate after death.
  • LPA → who decides for you if you lose capacity while alive.
  • CPF nomination → who receives your CPF (which your will can't touch).

A complete estate plan in Singapore isn't one document — it's three, and each does a job the others can't. Here's the clean breakdown.

1. The will — for after you're gone

Your will names your beneficiaries, your executor (who administers the estate), and guardians for minor children. It covers most of your assets — property, bank accounts, investments, personal belongings. Without it, the intestacy formula decides.

2. The LPA — for while you're still here

A Lasting Power of Attorney appoints a trusted "donee" to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity — for your property/affairs and/or your personal welfare. Good news: from 1 April 2026 the LPA application fee is free for citizens. Without an LPA, your family must go to court to be appointed a deputy.

3. The CPF nomination — because your will can't

CPF sits outside your estate. It passes only by nomination, so even a perfect will can't direct it. No nomination means it goes to the Public Trustee. This is the piece people most often miss.

The three must agree with each other. A will that contradicts your CPF nomination creates confusion and delay — doing them together keeps them consistent.

What order to do them in

  • Start with the will — it forces the big decisions (who, what, guardians).
  • Add the LPA — now that the fee is waived, there's no reason to delay.
  • Finish with the CPF nomination — quick, online, and the easiest to forget.

Done together in one sitting, all three take far less time than most people expect.

Get all three done, properly

Will, LPA and CPF nomination — coordinated so they agree. Fee-only from S$250, no products sold. A free first conversation at Orchard Road.

Book a free consult

Sources: CPF Board; Office of the Public Guardian / MSF (LPA fee change 2026); Intestate Succession Act.

General information, not legal advice. Rules and figures change — confirm current details before acting.