We thank Mr Ng Sung Nang for his letter, “LPA certificate issuers charging hefty fees for their services” (Dec 10), and his support of the Office of the Public Guardian online system.

Those looking to make a lasting power of attorney (LPA) will need to pay an application fee and the certificate issuer (CI) fee for the professional service of LPA certification.

The CI fee varies depending on the complexity of each case and the profession of the CI, who could be a lawyer, an accredited medical practitioner or a psychiatrist. Hence, there is a range of CIs who can offer services to meet the different needs of donors.

While we do not prescribe or regulate CI fees, we agree that fees should be kept affordable to encourage more people to sign up for an LPA. Hence, we monitor the fees in general of the frequently visited CIs, and provide an update on our website every six months.

As at July 2022, the majority of the most frequented accredited medical practitioners charge $50 or less. This amount has remained relatively stable over the past few years.

There are also not-for-profit organisations that offer LPA certificate-issuing services at affordable rates, for those who need financial support.

Currently, the application fee of $75 is waived for Singapore citizens using LPA Form 1 until March 31, 2023.

To encourage the take-up of LPA, we will ensure that the CI fees remain affordable for the public.

Regina Chang

Public Guardian

Office of the Public Guardian