askST: Can an unrelated person be nominated as a CPF beneficiary? Are there any safeguards?

SINGAPORE – The Central Provident Fund (CPF) nomination process is in the spotlight after a murder suspect was found to be the sole beneficiary of the victim’s CPF savings.

Former AIA insurance agent Mitchell Ong, 43,

allegedly killed 39-year-old Ms Audrey Fang in April

while they were in Spain and staying in separate hotels. Both are Singaporeans.

If Ong, who is in custody in Murcia, in south-eastern Spain, is not found guilty,

he could receive the $447,000 in her CPF account.

Lawyer Javern Sim, managing director of Populus Law and head of its family law department, said unless it can be proven that Ms Fang did not willingly nominate Ong, he will likely be getting the payout if found innocent.

The Straits Times asked the CPF Board and probate lawyers about the nomination process and safeguards in place.

1. What does it mean to make a CPF nomination?

When you make a CPF nomination, you decide who receives your CPF savings and how much each person gets in the event of your death.

The CPF website states that you can nominate anyone as a beneficiary, including those who are not your family members, people who do not have a CPF account, and even organisations that are legal entities.

There is no limit to the number of beneficiaries you can appoint.

Without a CPF nomination, your CPF savings will be distributed by the Public Trustee’s Office to your family members based on the intestacy laws or Muslim inheritance certificate.

2. How do I make a CPF nomination?

You can nominate up to 15 beneficiaries through an online application that requires you to log in using your Singpass. To nominate more than 15 beneficiaries, you have to do so in person at a CPF service centre.

You will need two witnesses to attest that you made your nomination willingly and calmly.

Your witnesses, who do not need to know your nominees’ details, can be anyone you choose as long as they are aged 21 and above, of sound mind and not a nominee.

Mr Sim said witnesses are needed for three reasons.

First, to verify the identity of the person making the nomination. Second, to confirm that the nomination was made voluntarily and without undue influence. Third, to attest that the nominator is of sound mind and understands the implications of the nomination.

For online nominations, witnesses must have a Singpass account. They will be notified of the application via SMS or e-mail and have to log in to the CPF website to confirm the nomination within seven days.

Staff at CPF service centres can act as witnesses. The CPF Board said staff will explain the nomination process to members and confirm their intentions to bequeath their CPF savings to the nominees before witnessing the nomination.

When this reporter tried making a CPF nomination online, the process took about five minutes. All that was needed was to log in via Singpass and fill in the NRIC details of the nominees and witnesses.

3. What safeguards are in place to ensure the CPF nomination process is not abused by bad actors?

The CPF Board said there are safeguards in place to “ensure the robustness of the CPF nomination process in respecting members’ intentions”.

They pointed to the requirement of having witnesses attest to nominations, adding that “when necessary, the CPF Board will conduct checks to verify members’ intention in making their nominations, including when they nominate non-family members”.

These checks apply, whether the nominations are done in person or online, the board said.

4. What should I do if I’m being coerced into making a nomination?

This could be a difficult scenario to circumvent, said lawyer Lee Shen Han of Bonsai Law, who specialises in civil, probate and family matters.

He said: “For an online application, if someone is forcing you to log in with your Singpass and make the nomination, and forces you to choose two of his friends as witnesses, it would be quite hard to do anything about it.

“While there is a declaration for you to acknowledge at the end of the process, it won’t matter much if you’re being forced into it.”

Mr Lee said once the individual making the nomination is free from the person forcing him to do so, he can then revoke the existing nomination and make a new one subsequently.

Mr Sim said the nominator can report any coercion to the CPF Board, and it will investigate the circumstances surrounding the nomination.