Shops for mothercare and eldercare sell functionally similar products but one gives off a "cute" vibe while the other is downright depressing. To age gracefully, we need to redefine the design for products made for elderly, according to Tan Lee Tuan, the founder of Agegracefully, a specialized eldercare shop focusing on smart walking sticks. We spoke to Tan about how he is making products for elderly less "old folks zone" and more "lifestyle". Name: Tan Lee Tuan Company Name: Bekind Solutions ( Agegracefully ) Specialization: Eldercare Lifestyle Products Base Country: Singapore Anything Interesting: Avid cyclist and photographer Save 10% on all Agegracefully products with this discount code: 10AGEGRACEFULLY Q: Can you tell me about yourself? What is your background? Lee Tuan: I studied Marine Engineering in Singapore and was in the engineering field for over a decade. I started off as an engineer, modifying submarines that were brought back to Singapore before moving on to Rolls-Royce to work on their marine propulsion system. Later on, I got an opportunity to work in China for a furniture company. I was designing furniture, such as coffee tables. I left after three years and came back to Singapore without a plan on what to do next. All these experiences helped me in the creation of products for Agegracefully. Q: How did you start Agegracefully? Lee Tuan: I came across a book called “The Purpose Driven Life” by Pastor Rick Warren. Through prayers, while I was reading this book, I received a message to help the elderlies. At first, I had no knowledge about this industry, and I knew no one. I volunteered at the eldercare center to find out more about the elderly and the industry in general. As my consciousness grew for the elderlies, I also started to observe them on purpose. When you pay more attention to certain things, you can see more and catch on a lot of things that you never knew were there before. Prior, when I see elderlies, they are just people passing by. Now when an elderly passes me, a lot of questions pop into my head. What are they wearing? What are they using? Who is with them? Where are they heading? These are just some of the questions that I ask now. During these observation periods, I felt that there’s a lot that we can do for the elderly. Products vs Services for Elderly I noticed there are two main areas that I can help the elderly with. The first one being the “product” and the second is the “service”. I chose to focus on developing products because of my previous experience in engineering and design. I initially wanted to design furniture for the elderly, but I don’t have enough savings and storage space to create and keep big furniture. And so I started exploring the possibility of creating smaller and cheaper products so that I can save on rental fee and manpower. There were two turning points for me. The first one was my visit to one of the rehabilitation (“rehab”) shops in a hospital and mothercare shops that sell maternity and infant products. The environment between the two gave off very different vibes. Shopping in rehab shops is very depressing, and it makes me feel that ageing is very upsetting. On the other hand, everything in the mothercare shops looked very cute and nice. Even though they seem to be very different, there are many similarities between the two. Babies wear diapers, have chairs or walkers with wheels and use specially made spoons and water bottles to help them feed themselves. In the elderly space, they have very similar products as well. Both eldercare and mothercare shops sell functional products but the eldercare shops took a medical approach whereas the mothercare shops took a lifestyle approach and made products that are more appealing to the eyes. The second one is my volunteer job at the eldercare centre. My job is to make sure that the elderly don't fall, because when an elderly falls, there would be lots of issues. I would basically bring them to the toilet, bring them food, and talk to them. I could talk not only to the elderly, but also to their caregivers and the staff there. This gave me an opportunity to know more about the elderly. These two turning points have made it clear to me that the product that we create should be about lifestyle. Lifestyle of The Elderly For example, in some places, a pregnant lady will most likely just wear an oversized t-shirt and that is good enough to cover the body. But in some other places, people who are more well off tend to want to enjoy the experience of the whole pregnancy process, so they would spend a lot of money on designer maternity wear and premium, nice-looking baby gadgets to improve this transitional experience of their life that are not so much about functionality. The focus on designs that provide more than just the basic functions of a product allowed me to see a business opportunity in the elderly’s lifestyle segment and who my target clients are. My short-term goal is to help elderly people who have just retired, who do not need a wheelchair, but need some help with walking. After discussing with my wife about me going into the elderly business, she wholeheartedly supported me. So that is how I started my business by designing walking sticks. Q: How are your walking sticks different from other walking sticks? Lee Tuan: We put in a lot of thoughts into designing. We care about the aesthetics besides the product being elder-friendly. The base of our walking stick is designed to be interchangeable. Our most common base for the walking stick is called a quad base, which has four legs and they come in different sizes. No matter what size they are, they are all interchangeable. For example, if your physiotherapist tells you that you need a walking stick with a bigger base to provide steadier support because of your hip injury, you can just simply replace the base with a larger one, without having to get a new walking stick. A few months down the road, when you have recovered from your injury, you can change the base of your walking stick back to a smaller one for better aesthetics and convenience. Want to know how the different types of smart walking sticks look like? Check them out HERE Get 10% off when you use the '10AGEGRACEFULLY' coupon code! Q: Have you incorporated any technology or design from your previous experience into your walking sticks? Lee Tuan: When I was in my submarine job, I did a lot of material testing. This skill came in very handy as materials are a major consideration when designing products for elderly. A walking stick is something that they hold and carry every day, so it has to be light enough. There are a lot of challenges when it comes to deciding which materials to use, for example, it’s easy to say that titanium is the go-to material to use because of its lightweight, but the downside is that it is expensive. Ergonomics is fundamental for elderly products, and weight is one of the most challenging when it comes to designing these products - something that I was never concerned about when I was in engineering and furniture design. It’s very tough to even reduce just 50 grams of weight from a product. Let’s use an umbrella for example. You may think that having an umbrella that also has a chair attached to it is a simple and genius concept, where the elderly can use it during rainy days and transform it into a chair anytime when they feel tired. But imagine them having to carry it around, all the add-ons, extra components are going to make the product bulky and heavy. It’s very challenging to create something that is multi-functional without compromising certain qualities. The Systematic Approach The other thing is that I designed the walking stick in a systematic way. It is the same approach that I have used during my engineering and furniture designing days. For example, for furniture design, we design with a system in mind. We don’t only design a coffee table, but we also design a matching TV console, side table, and many other related products, so all the different pieces of furniture are more in line aesthetically. People will be more comfortable buying a matching collection compared to buying different designed pieces. I applied this same approach when designing the elderly walking stick. We have six different designs in terms of the body itself, such as the chair, the umbrella, and the foldable body, and we have different kinds of accessories such as handles and bases that are all interchangeable. So everything is part of the system. Q: If you were to design elder-friendly furniture later on, how would it be different from regular furniture? Lee Tuan: At the back of my head I want to create elder-friendly furniture, but I don’t want to categorize it that way, I want it to be about lifestyle. People don’t want to be in the ‘old folks’ zone, where they feel like they are getting themselves medical products. So the idea is to age gracefully, which is why we name ourselves that. Right now, the elderly chairs that you see in the market, also called geriatric chairs, look similar to the ones you see in hospitals. The colour is often solid and the existing designs give people the impression that it’s either for the elderly or people with disabilities. I want to be able to remove such impressions for the elderly sector eventually. For example, I want the chairs to look like normal chairs with all the basic features, but also elder-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. I imagine that all the elderly furniture in a house radiates a welcoming and comforting ambience that can also be used in a convenient way for the elderly. Q: What are your next steps? Are we looking forward to any new and exciting products? Lee Tuan: The next possible product would be an upgrade of the walking stick with a seat, with the potential use of carbon fibre to make the product lighter. Another possible upgrade is our foldable walking stick. We want it to be a convertible stick, so that it can be used as a hiking stick as well. Some customers have asked us whether we can install some spikes on it so it can be used to walk on snow, and we are seriously considering that. Q: What are your interests? Anything interesting about you? Lee Tuan: I used to enjoy cycling and photography a lot, but ever since I started my own business, I have been doing less of these activities. My passion for what I do has consumed a lot of my time. This interview has been edited for length. Back to profile interviews > All articles and resources > Save 10% on all Agegracefully products with this discount code before you check out! 10AGEGRACEFULLY Immortalize Who's Who series seeks to profile service providers in the elderhood planning space to help you better identify and relate to the best, the most outstanding and the legitimate providers. Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Doctors play an important role in ageing well. In this interview, we spoke to Dr. Chung Wing Hong, Resident Physician and Director at Chung & Ee Medical Clinic, to understand more about the services that general practitioners provide in the Last Mile of Life space as well as family struggles when it comes to making tough decisions on signing documents like Lasting Power of Attorney and Advance Medical Directive. Name: Chung Wing Hong Company: Chung & Ee Medical Clinic Specialization: General Practitioner (Elder-related services) Base Country: Singapore Service Style: Compassionate, personable, relatable Anything Interesting: Likes cars and watches Clinic Location: 10 Telok Blangah Crescent #01-151 Singapore 090010 (Central Singapore CDC) Q: Can you tell me about yourself? Why did you choose to be a doctor and what made you start your own clinic? Chung: I was born in Hong Kong, but moved to Singapore when I was 4 years old and grew up here. I practiced medicine for about a decade before starting my private practice in 2020. I started my own clinic because there is more accountability and flexibility compared to working in an institution. Q: What services do you provide in the Elderhood space? Chung: Because of the higher elderly population in the vicinity of my clinic, most of the services that we provide are related to seniors and aging. These include chronic and acute conditions management as well as services such as Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) , Advance Medical Directive (AMD) , mental capacity assessment, disability assessment and death certification. Q: What is acute and chronic condition management and how are they related to elders? Chung: Acute illnesses are generally illnesses that happen suddenly and last for a short period of time, whereas chronic illnesses develop slowly but last for a much longer period. Common chronic conditions that can be seen in elderlies include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, degenerative joint disease, heart, kidney and prostate problems. For patients whose conditions are stable enough to be discharged from the hospital, we can take over, manage, and monitor their chronic illnesses as outpatients in the clinic. As soon as complications arise, they will be referred to the hospital for further evaluation and management. Differences Between Clinics And Hospitals For Chronic Condition Management Benefits of having a doctor from a clinic manage your medical conditions as opposed to seeing a doctor at the hospital are much shorter waiting time and more convenience. If you require a long list of chronic medications, your medical expenses from private clinics may be higher than that of public healthcare institutions. However, there are multiple government schemes and subsidies in place, such as the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) and MediSave, that can help reduce the costs patients need to pay for private clinics. [ CHAS is a healthcare scheme provided by the Singapore government to help Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents receive subsidies for medical or dental care from participating general practitioners (GP) and dental clinics. MediSave is a national medical savings scheme that helps Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents set aside a part of their income to pay for medical expenses, such as certain outpatient expenses and hospitalization, and healthcare needs during old age. ] Q: You mentioned that you can certify Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). Since not all doctors are authorized to certify LPAs, how does a doctor become an LPA certificate issuer? [Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to appoint someone to make decisions for you when you lose mental capacity.] Read more: Demystifying Lasting Power of Attorney (Singapore Edition) Chung: Medical professionals like doctors have to go through an online course conducted by the Singapore Medical Association. Upon completion of the course, the doctor will be certified as an LPA certificate issuer. Q: What are some of the common issues that your patients face when it comes to getting their LPA certified? Chung: For LPA, the most common issue people face is that often the donee (person appointed) and the donor (person appointing) do not agree on the decisions that are indicated in the document. I would suggest that both the donor and donee(s) be present during the consultation so decisions can be discussed together. Hopefully, the parties are able to reach a consensus to proceed with the LPA application. In the event that an agreement could not be reached, I would suggest the donor and donee(s) to come back another time after they have reached an agreement. Q: What about Advance Medical Directive (AMD)? Are there any issues that people face when they want to get their AMD signed? [ Advance Medical Directive (AMD) is a legal document that allows you to inform medical professionals in advance that you do not want to prolong your life with any extraordinary life-sustaining treatment when you become terminally ill and unconscious.] Read more: Demystifying Advance Medical Directive (Singapore Edition) Chung: The most common issue for AMD is disagreement between the family and patient on whether the patient should do his/her AMD. Patients who are keen to make an AMD need to understand that the aim of an AMD is to avoid prolonged dying process and suffering, and not for the purpose of saving on medical expenses. You deciding in advance will also save the family members from having to make difficult decisions when they are under tremendous emotional pressure. AMD is completely voluntary. Not having done your AMD does not affect your right to receive medical treatment of any sort. Q: We have heard of lawyers suggesting that certain elders should have their mental capacity assessed by a doctor before drafting their wills. How does a doctor assess someone’s mental capacity? Chung: First, you must complete an Assessment of Mental Capacity form by the Singapore Medical Association to state why you need the assessment. Family members or caregivers are encouraged to be in the same room as the patient who is being assessed. However, they are not to interfere with the assessment of the patient. Testing For Cognitive Impairment A basic cognitive test will be performed to ensure that you are oriented to time, place and person. For example, “Do you know whether it’s morning, afternoon, or night? Do you know where you are? Are you able to recognize your caregiver or your attending doctor?” An Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) will also be performed. This is a 10-question test to screen for cognitive impairment. A score below 7 out of 10 means there is cognitive impairment. If there is no cognitive impairment, the Assessment of Mental Capacity form will be completed. However, If there is an indication of cognitive impairment via the basic cognitive test or AMT, then we cannot proceed with the certification. The patient will then be referred to a psychiatrist for further evaluation and assessment. Q: Considering that you have many elderly patients, what happens if someone passed away at home? Chung: Should there be a death that occurred at home or outside of a hospital, the next-of-kin or the caregiver would need to find a registered medical practitioner to issue a Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD). [ Certificate of Cause of Death ( CCOD) is a legal document issued by a registered medical doctor that certifies a person’s death if the cause of death is known and is due to natural causes.] Doctors can certify deaths if they can identify the cause of death. That usually means that the deceased family or caregiver needs to have proper documentation from their principal doctor. For example, a family could have proper documentation from an oncologist saying that the deceased was diagnosed with a particular type of cancer and is in the late stage. The memos drafted by the oncologist is one of the ways that can help determine whether the patient has died of natural causes. If the cause of death can’t be clearly identified, then that will be an issue. In this case, we would suggest calling an ambulance and sending the deceased to the hospital. The body will be sent to the mortuary and an autopsy will be done to determine the cause of death. Digitization of Death Certificates Once you obtain a CCOD, you can register the death. The government has started digitizing death certificates, where the death registration process is simpler, and certificates will be issued electronically instead of a physical one. Normally, after we issue a CCOD, the deceased’s next-of-kin will have to register the death either in a hospital or with a police station before a death certificate is issued. With the digitization, after the death is certified by a medical doctor online, the death will automatically be registered, and the next-of-kin will be able to receive a digital death certificate. [The Singapore Government has started digital death certificates on May 29, 2022] Q: What are your interests or hobbies? Chung: I like to spend time with my family, and if I’m not with my family, I’d be at the clinic. I also like cars and watches. This interview has been edited for length. Back to profile interviews > All articles and resources > Immortalize offers Prime Concierge, a personal assistant service, to help  you plan for your spectacular ageing and retirement life that includes Will, Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), Advance Medical Directive(AMD), Advance Care Planning (ACP), and more! FAQs Can all doctors issue Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPA) certificates? No, only accredited doctors who have passed a course conducted by the Singapore Medical Association can issue LPA certificates. Do I have to do an Advance Medical Directive (AMD)? No, AMD is completely voluntary. Whether you have an AMD in place or not does not affect your right to receive medical treatment when needed. How is mental capacity assessed by doctors? An Assessment of Mental Capacity form will first be filled to state why you need the assessment. Then your doctor will perform a basic cognitive test and an Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) to find out if you have any cognitive impairment. After which, your doctor will either complete your Assessment of Mental Capacity form or refer to a psychiatrist for further assessment. Immortalize is an Elderhood marketplace and information provider. We make planning and executing your plans for ageing, retirement, legacy and everything elderhood-related simple, easy and comprehensive! Immortalize Who's Who series seeks to profile service providers in the legacy planning space to help you better identify and relate to the best, the most outstanding and the legitimate providers. Find a professional, compare prices, and kickstart your elderhood planning Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io

Everyone should do their Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and get their parents to do theirs as it costs ~SG$100 and just 10 minutes, compared to the significantly more costly and time consuming deputyship application, according to Chen Yiyang, Director of YY Lee & Associates LLC. We spoke to Chen to discuss why families are suing each other over inheritance on a weekly basis, best practices for your estate planning and why divorce cases in Singapore will make great content for Tik Tok. Key points: Don't appoint "lazy" people as executors of your will; family suing executors is a "common occurrence" Even if you are not ready to do your will, do your LPA first Keeping even a simple list of your assets can save others a lot of time, money and effort in future Name: Yiyang Chen Company: YY Lee & Associates LLC Estate Planning Specialization: Will-writing, LPA, and Estate disputes Base Country: Singapore Service Style: Straightforward, fast, personal Anything Interesting: Aspiring Tik Toker on Family Law in Singapore Q: Can you tell me about yourself, how did you get into law? Chen: My mum has been a lawyer for 43 years and owns her own legal business but I have never thought I’ll be a lawyer. My first degree was in Economics, and I worked in retail for a year and a half after graduating. During my time there, I saw how a lot of people who are uneducated were treated and it made me realize that I needed to learn more about basic personal rights. I wanted to better myself to help these people and that’s when I decided to enter law school. I now run a law firm with my mother. From late 2018, I started specializing in family law, conveyancing, Wills , and Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPA) . Q: Who is your target audience? Chen: People who come to me are mainly millennials, younger clients or older clients whose children reached out to me on their behalf. I see a need to service people my age, the millennials, because a lot of us are getting more asset rich and more astute with investments. It is also vital for people with young children to plan one's assets for any unforeseen circumstances. Q: What are some of the issues millennials face in estate planning? Chen: A lot of millennials use online trading platforms and invest in digital assets like cryptocurrencies. For estate planning , it’s less about how to distribute your digital assets to your loved ones but how will the executor of your Will be able to access and manage your digital assets after you pass away. Another thing that I remind my millennial clients, who usually hold more varied types of assets like multiple bank accounts, different insurance policies etc., is that they need to list out all of these accounts and maintain a rolling list of their assets. Keeping A List Of Assets Is Crucial Without this list, when a person passes away, his/her estate lawyers have to write to banks, insurance companies and other institutions to request for more information about the deceased’s assets. Generally, it takes about two to three months for these financial institutions to come back with the records, which is a big waste of time and money for your loved ones. If there are minor beneficiaries of the estate, i.e. children below 21 years old, this means the estate will not be settled for some time and the funds for them will be locked up. I want to highlight to younger people, especially the millennials, that all you need to do is keep a rolling list of your assets. Just state the bank account, Central Depository (CDP) account and insurance policy numbers and other information, such as online trading accounts and digital assets. You don’t need to record the exact value of these assets when you are still alive as the values only matter at the date of your death. Read more: What Happens To My Stuff When I Die? (Singapore Edition) Q: Which part of estate planning do you specialize in? Chen: I do a lot of Will and LPA planning with my clients. I started specializing in estate disputes last year, and it has opened my eyes to help me give better advice during the Will and LPA planning stages. Q: What is the most common thing that people usually dispute about? Chen: Many beneficiaries sue their executors or administrators when a deceased person’s assets were not properly distributed and managed. For instance, executors or administrators did not properly pay off the deceased’s debts and failed to give a statement of account to the beneficiaries. Executors generally think that once they give the money to the beneficiaries, their duties are completed. That’s not true. It is actually an ongoing duty for them. If the beneficiary asks for clarity of the estate at any point, the executors must be ready to provide account statements to show proof. Sadly, as executors or administrators are usually the deceased or beneficiaries’ family members, people end up suing their own family. This is a very common occurrence. [Besides appointing family members as executors, there is also the option of outsourcing the work to a third party by appointing professional executors in your will. Check out the list of providers who offer professional executor service here .] Read more: How to Choose Beneficiary, Executor in My Will? Q: How do you feel about handling estate dispute cases? Chen: It’s sad and unnecessary. If people are more knowledgeable about what their rights and their duties as estate administrators or executors are, then we would not have so many disputes. Sometimes I think it’s because they have not been properly advised in the planning stage, such as unclear terms in the Will, and that’s when disputes emerge. Q: What are the things that people should consider when they appoint executors in their Will? Chen: There are two things that people need to consider. First, you must choose someone that you can trust and who is not lazy. There are a lot of lazy people in this world and it really matters. I have seen quite a few estate beneficiaries who did not get what they were supposed to get because of lazy executors. Second, you must make very clear and unambiguous instructions in your Will. If the terms in your Will are complicated, the executor cannot properly administer the estate and will have trouble carrying out your intentions. I have a lot of clients who came to me with their signed 10-page long Wills, and they would ask me to simplify it because they don’t even understand the document themselves. When I understand their intentions and write a new Will for them, they are always surprised at how simple a Will can and should be. Q: If things change later on in life, how can people make adjustments to their Wills? Chen: I would always tell my clients to review their Wills at least once every 10 years. Only in the event that they want to remove someone or add a new person as a beneficiary, then they need to draft a new Will. For example, if you and your spouse made your Wills when your children were underage (below 21 years old), I would tell you to redo your Will as soon as your children reach 21 years old, because you may have appointed someone to be their guardian to take care of your kids’ money. But when they are of age, they don’t need guardians and you don’t want to burden the appointed person anymore. So you should review your Will to see whether you want your kids to be holding the money themselves when they are 21 years old. You should also draft a new Will when there are major changes in your life, such as when you have children, when you have more children, and when they grow up and become adults. Related: What is a Will and how to get it done? (Singapore Edition) Q: Should people do their Wills if they are single? Chen: If you are single, it’s even more so that you should have a Will to give clear instructions on who you are giving your assets to and how your assets are going to be managed subsequently. In addition, prepare a rolling list of your assets. The foremost reason is to make things easier for your parents in case you pass away before them. The thing about intestacy law (a set of distribution rules determined by the law) is that people think it’s very straightforward, but it can also cause issues that people never think about. For example, if you are single and you pass away without a Will, according to intestacy law, your assets will be distributed to your siblings if you don’t have any children and both of your parents have already passed away. Prevent A Foreseeable Issue For one of my clients' cases, the sibling passed away before him, so his sibling’s children are entitled to their parent’s share of his inheritance . But the children were underaged, and this resulted in a lot of issues, such as co-administrator issues. When there is no Will, at least two individuals acting as co-administrators or a trust corporation must be appointed to obtain a Grant of Letters of Administration for underage beneficiaries. This resulted in a longer process to obtain a Grant of Letters of Administration (a legal document that gives the administrator the legal right to manage and distribute the deceased's estate). The estate planning stage is very important, because it can lead to a lot of problems during probate if there’s no considerate planning done. Read more: All About Probate & Administration (Singapore Edition) Q: Are there other things people should be aware of, to prevent disputes, when drafting their Wills? Chen: There was a case that I did, where a client of mine came back to me and said he decided to give the flat to one of his children only. Honestly, when I first heard it, I genuinely felt scared. “What is happening?” and “Why is he cutting off the others?” were some of the questions that immediately came to my mind. His reason was that because when he got into a car accident, this child took care of him very well. So he wanted to reward the child with the flat. It definitely rang some alarm bells, because I can already imagine the other siblings feeling very unhappy when they learn of this arrangement. When a child brings the parents to my office, especially when the child is not the only child and the siblings didn’t come together with the rest of the family, I would always ask the child to leave the room so I can talk to the parents privately to understand whether those are their real intentions or were they under any undue influence of someone else. Q: Let’s talk about LPA. In what circumstances do people need an LPA or a deputyship? Chen: I tell my friends all the time that even if they are not ready to do their Wills, they should definitely get their LPAs done first. (LPA is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more persons to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity one day.) Read more: Demystifying Lasting Power of Attorney (Singapore Edition) For example, when someone is injured at work, generally there would be workmen injury compensation to be paid out to the injured person. But if the person is also mentally incapacitated from the accident, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or the employer will only release the compensation to the injured person’s donee (person appointed by you to decide for you) according to the LPA or to the deputy (person appointed by the Court to decide for you) when there is no LPA. Deputyship vs LPA Recently I handled one deputy case where a client of mine desperately needed a deputyship. Her parents wanted to purchase one of the silver generation Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats a few years ago, and their intention was to get this new flat and sell their old HDB flat. While the parents were waiting for the flat to be built, the father lost mental capacity, and he couldn’t be there to sign the documents and receive the keys for the HDB. Since he didn’t have an LPA, the only way for the wife and daughter to be able to handle his affairs is to obtain a deputyship, which is a lengthy court process. If he had an LPA, they wouldn’t need to go through all these troubles. LPA is the most important for bank accounts and properties. When you don’t have an LPA and become mentally incapacitated, your family needs to go to court to get deputyship to be able to access your bank accounts and manage your properties and affairs. A lot of people think that LPA is a hindrance and a very complicated matter. I once visited a friend at her place not long ago. She has two young kids, and it has dawned on me that both she and her spouse did not have LPAs. I offered to help them get their LPAs done right on the spot. They tried to brush me off at first, thinking it’s something very difficult to do, but they were really surprised that the whole application process was completed in 10 minutes. Even though you may not want to do a Will now, you should do your LPA first. Q: How long does it take to apply for deputyship and get appointed as a deputy, and how much does it cost? Chen: The court application will cost about SG$5,000-6,000, whereas signing an LPA costs about SG$100. [Accredited doctors and lawyers can help you sign your LPA, with prices starting from $45, according to Immortalize database. Check out the list of providers here .] Read more: Demystifying Lasting Power of Attorney (Singapore Edition) The reason why the market rate for application of deputyship is so expensive is because the procedure is very long. It takes at least three to six months to be appointed as a deputy, and that’s the usual time for uncomplicated and uncontested cases. Also, there are so many documents to produce. For example, if your parents lived in a nursing home, you have to prepare the nursing home agreement, list of expenses, etc., and obtain a medical report from the hospital to submit to the Court. A medical report is very expensive. There are two types of medical reports, one that is general and the other one is specific for mental capacity, which costs at least SG$400-500, depending on the hospital. If your parent has an LPA, you only need the general medical report to activate the LPA, which costs less compared to the mental capacity medical report. Q: What would you recommend the younger generation to do to start conversations with their parents and encourage them to do their elderhood planning? Chen: I would recommend the younger generation to start conversations with their parents about last mile of life planning as soon as possible. I always tell people, such as my cousins and friends, to get their parents to draft their Wills and complete their LPAs, because things will be easier for them later on when they need to handle their parents’ affairs. Q: What are your hobbies? Chen: After work, I like to go through Tik Tok and social media every night for at least one and a half hours, where I get to learn a lot of things. I watched a lot of family lawyers who are based in the United Kingdom and United States on Tik Tok. Basically, they would very quickly answer questions on laws such as basic divorce law. My mum and I have been trying to learn their style as we have plans to set up a similar account one day. Divorce cases in Singapore are confusing to a lot of people, and often misunderstood, so we believe creating Tik Tok videos to explain about family law in Singapore will be extremely informative ( laughs ). This interview has been edited for length. Back to profile interviews > More articles and resources > FAQ Why do I need Schedule of Assets? With an updated Schedule of Assets, it makes the probate process cheaper and faster. What do I need to include in Schedule of Assets? General information about your assets should be included in the Schedule of Assets. Include the bank account, securities account, insurance policy numbers and other information such as online trading accounts and digital assets. The exact value of these assets are not needed. The values don't matter when you are alive. They only matter at the date of your death. Should I do my will if I am single? If you are single, you should do a Will to give clear instructions on who you are giving your assets to and how your assets are going to be managed. Make sure you also include a list of assets to make things easier for your parents in case you pass away before them. Although Singapore has a very straightforward intestacy law, it can also cause issues that people never think about. When do I need an LPA or deputyship? You should do your LPA when you have mental capacity. When you don’t have an LPA and become mentally incapacitated, your family will need to go to court to get deputyship, a lengthy and costly legal process, to be able to access your bank accounts and manage your properties and affairs. Why is a deputyship more expensive than doing an LPA? Deputyship is expensive because the procedure is very long. Usually, for uncomplicated and uncontested cases, it takes at least three to six months to be appointed as a deputy. You will also have to provide many more documents, such as a list of expenses, medical reports, etc. Immortalize is an Elderhood marketplace and information provider. We make planning and executing your plans for ageing, retirement, legacy and everything elderhood-related simple, easy and comprehensive! Immortalize Who's Who series seeks to profile service providers in the legacy planning space to help you better identify and relate to the best, the most outstanding and the legitimate providers. Find a professional, compare prices, and kickstart your estate planning Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Being an executor that is responsible for managing and distributing someone’s assets after they pass away isn’t difficult knowledge-wise most of the time, it’s just tedious and there’s always little things you need to take care of and constantly remind yourself to do, according to Mario Tjiong, director at Singapore-based law firm, Court & Mason LLC. We spoke to Tjiong about the challenges of being appointed an executor in someone's will and why most people who have been an executor would pay for others to do it. Name: Mario Tjiong Company: Court & Mason LLC Estate Planning Specialization: Professional Executorship Base Country: Singapore Service Style: Patient, realistic, collaborative Anything Interesting: Gamer Q: Can you tell me more about yourself? Why did you choose law and how did Court & Mason came about? Mario: I wondered if I could get into law, applied and got in. After my parents found out that I got in, they didn’t let me give up and said, “You’re going to take it and you’re going to be happy about it” (laughs) . After I graduated, I went to a small firm. My boss served mainly Indonesian and Chinese high net worth clients. We took care of everything they needed. From cases like a client’s wife’s cousin’s traffic offense to arbitrating a case where a client got sued by an Indonesian government-linked entity. It’s not something we typically do, but we figured it out. It was a very client-centric business. After that I moved to a mid-sized firm that primarily served banks and later left to start Court & Mason. Q: Why did you decide to name the firm Court & Mason? Mario: I didn’t. The court sort of decided for me. When you apply to set up a law practice in Singapore, you are required to submit three names for their consideration. You can pick any name you want but it’s subjected to approval and the final name will be decided between those three names. I always have this impression that most firms have the lawyer’s name in it. So the first name that I chose was Tjiong Law LLC and my second choice was Tjiong and Co. Very boring and typical law firm names and for the third one, I decided on Court & Mason. Court-picked Posh Name It was a name my classmate and I came up with during a drinking session in the past. We said that when we are hugely successful, we will work for a law firm that is very posh and globalized with a westernized name such as Court & Mason. Out of the three, the court selected Court & Mason. Then, I was like “Why?”. But it’s a good story and it sounds nice so I was fine with it. Q: What is your specialization? Mario: I’m a generalist. We tend to be more accommodating of what clients are looking for, rather than holding out for specific things. But we do a lot more commercial contracts and probate . [Probate is the legal process where the executor (person appointed in a will) applies for a Grant of Probate (a legal document) to manage and distribute the deceased's estate.] Read More: All About Probate & Administration (Singapore Edition) Q: How did you end up doing a lot of probate? Mario: It's a natural progression because of the will writing process. We went into will writing about a decade ago because we saw that there is going to be a rise of people who are well-to-do in Singapore. In the past, people passing away may have an HDB flat, a bit of money in the bank and its divided 10 ways because back then, family sizes were huge. The price of HDB back then was around $200,000, so each of them will get around $20,000 and they will go their merry way. When it’s $20,000, it’s easy for people to let those who need the money more take more. Underserved Market As people get richer and family sizes became smaller, there was a double multiplier effect. These days, parents are leaving multiple properties to their children, and in today’s prices, they are worth multiple millions and there’s also money, fixed deposits, investments, CPF and others, so the problems are quite different today. Back then, there was nobody really serving this market and we thought this is a space worth exploring. After writing wills for clients, unfortunately, we started having clients who pass away and probate was the next thing we did for their families. Q: Is probate hard? Mario: Probate may be more difficult nowadays. In the past it was a lot easier because everyone was doing paper statements and all you have to do is wait for end of month, then companies will dutifully send you all their statements. You can easily collect and tabulate them. But now, everyone is going paperless and it becomes more difficult to trace. Q: We did a small survey and realized that for those who have done probate before, 100% said that they would pay someone else to do it. Why do you think that is the case? Is it because it’s very time consuming? Mario: People will definitely pay for someone to do it instead of doing it themselves. It’s not just about the time, but also the annoyance. There are always little things that needs to be taken care of and you have to constantly remind yourself to check the mailbox and make sure no new statements have come in. You have to find all the assets and run around to apply for a Grant of Probate . After getting the grant, you have to visit banks, insurance companies, HDB and etc. A lot of times they are not going to tell you what documents you need, and the worst part is, they are usually not standardized. For example, you can’t just go to any financial institution and take document A, B and C, and expect to be the same everywhere. What you actually need to do may even depend on the bank officer that you encounter on the day. An 'Irritating' Task It is not a very difficult or challenging task, but a very irritating one that is constantly at the back of my head, such as always monitoring and chasing for updates. The other aspect is the beneficiaries themselves. A lot of times we talk about issues and difficulties that executors face because of the entire management of running around and doing all sorts of things. Sometimes beneficiaries can be demanding and difficult, such as asking to get their shares in advance. Opening the Floodgate Usually, these beneficiaries tend to fall into the category where they are in urgent need of money, where they would pressure you to give them their shares, which creates a nightmare, because you are still in the middle of collecting money. First thing is if you opened this floodgate, other beneficiaries will come to you and ask for their shares too. The second thing is by law you are supposed to clear off any outstanding debt that the estate has, such as taxes, debts, credit cards, and all of that before the balance can be distributed. What if I gave the beneficiaries money, but it turns out that there is not enough to clear off debts? Q: And usually you will say no to such requests? Mario: I will just say no because I can’t do it and it can only be done after everything is settled. For example, if there is an emergency like one need money for an operation, normally we will direct them to other beneficiaries instead of borrowing from the estate. As a professional executor, you cannot do it and expose yourself to unneeded risks. But many executors are actually family members, so it’s harder for them to refuse the beneficiaries’ requests. Some beneficiaries don’t want the responsibility of being an executor, but they will constantly ask for updates and wants to control how an executor does things. For example, if you are going to sell a property, they want to know if you have found an agent yet. If yes, what price did this agent quote. If it is not what they want, they will ask you to find another agent. Q: What is the role of an executor? Is it hard to be an executor? If someone appoints a family member as an executor, how much time and work do they have to go through on average? Mario: An executor basically deals with the administrative work and fulfills whatever is written in the will. They go to Court to get the Grant of Probate, deal with bank accounts, claim insurance, sell and transfer the shares and property, and others. Related Articles: How to Choose Beneficiary, Executor in My Will? How much time an executor spends depends on the asset class. The part that takes a fair amount of time is figuring out what assets the person has, and this is usually the irritating part. It depends on how secretive the deceased is about their assets. The other part is the actual application to Court and that takes a bit of time. The bulk of the issue is running around dealing with the assets. Relationship Manager For bank accounts, if you have the proper documentation, the bank will let you close the account and take the money. If you have a property, for example, it is relatively easy to just transfer it to your spouse, but when you want to split it four ways, if one wants to stay in the property and want to take over the shares of the other three, it gets somewhat complicated as the executor needs to go through a lot discussions, realize what each other’s expectations are, and decide what is essential for everyone. So the executor needs to manage not just the assets, they need to weigh the relationship and how to balance the wants and needs of multiple beneficiaries. Q: What happens when you miss something? For example, what happens if a client already received the Grant but realized he/she missed out on an asset? Mario: It is actually quite common, and people do miss out things. We are all just trying to reconstruct what the person had, and we don’t have knowledge of everything. We have seen all sorts of weird things such as people investing in time share or land banking. When you discover these things, you may have to include them into the schedule of assets, and obviously these things are not easy to discover. You might have got your Grant of Probate, but a couple of months later, or even a year, you discover that you didn’t include it and you need to add to the schedule of assets. Amending Schedule of Assets After Approval When that happens, you need to apply for ‘Leave of Court’ to amend the schedule of assets. The ‘Leave of Court’ is a technical term for asking the Court’s permission, and in this case, apply for the Court’s permission to amend the schedule of assets where you have to explain why these assets were not discovered beforehand. After you get the permission, you can apply to amend the schedule of assets. Q: How much does it cost if someone forgets something and has to amend the schedule of assets by engaging a lawyer? Mario: It’s around a couple hundreds of dollars to engage a lawyer to file. You just need to go back to the same person that dealt with your Grant of Probate, since this person is already aware of your situation and doesn’t need to spend time familiarizing with your case. Q: How long does it usually take for an executor to handle from finding assets to finishing the whole distribution process? Mario: Probably around six months to a year. Q: How much does it cost to appoint a professional executor? Mario: This depends on how much time is required. I will give an estimate when I do a client’s will. I listen to what exactly they are looking to get done and what assets they have. It's definitely going to trend higher if they have a lot of instructions. For example, we had a case where one client wants to sell the property, and then buy two properties with the sale proceeds, one for his wife and the other for his mother. The client is the ‘glue’ that has been holding the wife’s and mother’s relationship together. So if he passes away, the wife and mother would not be able to live under the same roof. Q: Can you give me a ballpark figure on how much you charge to appoint you as an executor, i.e. put your name as an executor in the will? And how much is the execution part? Mario: Around $500 to put my name as an executor in the will. If I am activated, I will offset it from the execution cost. The execution part for an average person would cost around $5,000. Q: What happens if you pass away before them? Mario: The $500 is non-refundable. But in the will, it will state who the backup executor will be in the event that I pass away, become mentally incapacitated or can’t fulfil the duty. Q: What if someone has been appointed the executor, but would like to give you the power to assist so that you are essentially the executor, is that possible? Mario: You could delegate some of the duties, but it doesn’t reduce your exposure to liabilities. Beneficiaries can potentially sue executors. Q: I’m assuming kins and beneficiaries will still need to do some work even if there is a professional executor? How much work do they need to do in this case? Mario: Usually they compile whatever statements or letters that they receive, and then hand it off to me. Q: Do you need to figure out any assets that they have missed as well? Mario: What happens is that I go through the list. In the professional scene, we do not only do wills for clients, we tell them to have a very updated schedule of assets that they have to do in their lifetime rather than to wait for people to piece it together for them. When something happens, usually the beneficiaries will take the schedule of assets that the person has drafted and it is usually kept together with the will. It’s a starting point as the bulk of assets are already captured. Q: What if people forgot to update it and in the meantime, they accumulated a lot of different assets and passed away? Mario: Then the schedule of assets become totally useless. For example, if the schedule of assets is five years old, a lot of things would have changed, and you cannot leave it to chance. We must inquire further to know if these assets still exist. There was a case where the family members said their father was a very secretive man who refused to tell anyone what he has and where he keeps his money. So nobody knows. I literally ended up writing to every bank and financial institution I can think of. Q: So without the schedule of assets, the executor charge would be significantly more expensive?: Mario: Yes, because there is more work. In that kind of scenario, the cost could be around $8,000-$10,000. Q: Anything else that is annoying to people and that they should get a professional executor to do it? Mario: One, the process is annoying. Two, sometimes people don’t want to deal with the relationship issues, because naturally if you are an executor, you have certain powers and other people don’t, so you may be accused of favoritism. Q: What powers do executors have, what kind of bias can they have and what kind of accusations could they face? Tjiong: Firstly, it is the perceived bias, where someone could say, “My mother appointed her, but not me, that means she doesn’t trust me or hates me.” The second one is the distribution itself, where you can get difficult and demanding beneficiaries, such as saying things like, “They are denying my request, obviously power playing.” They may feel that executors are being arrogant when they make decisions such as selling a house with a particular agent instead of others, “We are our mother’s children as well, why does he/she gets to decide and not us.” It can create a lot of tension within the family. Bias, Tensions & Disputes Sometimes we get situations where people who are executors are already in a vulnerable position. For example, the father passed away and appointed the son to be the executor to deal with all the issues, but the mother is a beneficiary. Obviously, the mother has certain ability to influence the son to listen to her. They will exert this sort of pressure on children sometimes. If you want to be free of biases, tensions, or disputes, and just want to get things done, then getting a professional executor can simplify a lot of things. Q: Any upcoming trends that might spur people to get a professional executor? Tjiong: What drives a lot of people to professionals is the idea that their spouse or family members are not suitable to handle the assets they have. Take cryptocurrency as an example. One of the family member may be very invested in it, but the rest of the family is not. Cryptocurrency will definitely be an issue in the future because people may lose their wallets and etc. Q: What are the issues you think may arise because of how crypto is structured in terms of probate? Tjiong: The main concern is that people who are not in crypto has no idea what to do. For example, my wife has no interest in crypto at all, so if I appoint her to deal with it obviously she would not know what to do. Q: What’s interesting about you? What do you do on weekends? Tjiong: Very common activities like gaming. Last year I played Train Wreck and Cyberpunk. Currently, there aren’t that many good games so I’m playing all the classics. My favorite is Fallout Two, a very old game. My wife is very unhappy with my gaming (laughs) . Q: How much time do you spend on gaming? Tjiong: Not so much now, because there aren't any interesting titles out there. The problem is that I like single player story driven games. It’s like a good book where you want to finish it in one go. You don’t want to put it down, come back to it at a later time and have to pick it back up again. This interview has been edited for length. Back to more profile interviews > Back to more articles and resources > FAQs on Being an Executor What is the role of an executor? An executor basically deals with the administrative work and fulfills whatever is written in the will. They go to Court to get the Grant of Probate, deal with bank accounts, claim insurance, sell and transfer the shares and property, and others. Can I amend the Schedule of Assets after getting the grant of probate? Yes. You will need to apply for ‘Leave of Court’, or the Court's permission, to amend the schedule of assets and after you get the permission, you can apply to amend the schedule of assets. Immortalize is an Elderhood marketplace and information provider. We make planning and executing your plans for ageing, retirement, legacy and everything elderhood-related simple, easy and comprehensive! Immortalize Who's Who series seeks to profile service providers in the legacy planning space to help you better identify and relate to the best, the most outstanding and the legitimate providers. Find a professional, compare prices, and kickstart your estate planning Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) is a tax deferral and benefit scheme applicable to both Singaporeans and foreigners working in Singapore. But what exactly is it? What's the difference between CPF and SRS? How does the tax work for SRS? What happens to your SRS if you pass away or are terminally ill? In Part 6 of this CPF, SRS x Inheritance series , we look into these issues and help you demystify the basics of SRS. What is the Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS)? What is the difference between CPF and SRS? Why do people put money in SRS? Who can open an SRS account? How much can I put in SRS? Can I withdraw from SRS? Tax Implications of SRS withdrawals What happens to my SRS if I die or am terminally ill? Is it better to withdraw SRS after statutory retirement age or keep it? What is the Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS)? SRS is a voluntary scheme that encourages people to save for retirement over and above their CPF savings. Participants can contribute any amount to SRS, subject to a cap, at their own discretion. Contributions will accumulate at an interest rate of 0.05% or can be used to purchase various investment instruments. What is the difference between CPF and SRS? CPF is a tax-exempt scheme (you don't need to pay tax) whereas SRS is a tax deferral scheme (you pay tax later). Most parts of CPF are protected from creditors while your SRS account is not. Interest rate on SRS is lower compared to CPF saving rates. Note that CPF savings are locked up for a long period whereas you can withdraw your SRS anytime (subject to penalty and restrictions) and thus, with greater liquidity, you should expect a lower interest rate on SRS. Below is an overview of the CPF and SRS interest rates. Ordinary Account - At least 2.5% p.a. Special Account - At least 4% p.a. MediSave Account - At least 4% p.a. Retirement Account - At least 4% p.a. CPF LIFE - Same as RA Supplementary Retirement Scheme - 0.05% Check here for the latest rates and here for how the rates are determined. Why do people put money in SRS? The key draw of SRS is the tax deferral/benefit. SRS contributions are eligible for tax relief, investment returns are accumulated tax-free and only 50% of the withdrawals from SRS are taxable at retirement. Who can open an SRS account? Singapore Citizens (SC), Permanent Residents (PR) and foreigners who derive any form of income in Singapore can make SRS contributions in that year as long as you are: At least 18 years old; Not an undischarged bankrupt; Not having a mental disorder; and Capable of managing yourself and your affairs To open an SRS account, you will need to approach either DBS , OCBC or UOB to set up an account. Note: You can only have 1 SRS account at any point in time You can change your SRS provider How much can I put in SRS? You or your employer can contribute any time and as often as you like, subjected to the cap on SRS contribution for the year ( currently at S$15,300 for SC and PR, S$35,700 for foreigners). Contributions have to be made in cash and there is no refund for SRS contributions made. Note: Contributions to your SRS account by your employer constitutes your remuneration and so, are taxable and have to be reported. You will be given tax relief for the contribution. Your tax relief for SRS contributions and other tax relief claims that you may have will be capped at the personal income tax relief limit of S$80,000. All proceeds from the sale of your SRS investment instruments must be returned to your SRS account. As long as you don’t withdraw after your statutory retirement age , you can continue to make contributions. Withdrawals made before statutory retirement age don’t count. We will explain more on withdrawals and statutory retirement age next. Can I withdraw from SRS? Yes, you can withdraw anytime and in the form of cash or investments. Tax Implications of SRS withdrawals If you withdraw before your statutory retirement age, you may be subjected to penalty. Your Statutory Retirement Age YOUR statutory retirement age is the statutory retirement age set at the time of your first SRS contribution. If you have already opened an SRS account, made your first contribution and the statutory retirement age then is 62 years old, any subsequent change in the statutory retirement age (e.g. up to age 65) will not affect you (i.e. you may still begin your first penalty-free SRS withdrawal when you reach age 62). Withdrawal BEFORE your statutory retirement age 100% of the withdrawal will be subjected to income tax Withdrawal subjected to 5% penalty (See below for exceptions) Here are some examples to illustrate: If you first contribute S$10,000 and then subsequently withdraw $8,000, there will be no penalty on the S$8,000 withdrawn and tax relief will only be on S$2,000 net contribution. If you first contribute S$10,000 and then subsequently withdraw $15,000, there will be no SRS tax relief. There will be a 5% penalty on the S$5,000 net withdrawal and the S$5,000 net withdrawal will also be subjected to income tax for the year. If you first withdraw S$15,000 and then subsequently contribute $10,000, there will be a 5% penalty on the S$15,000 withdrawal, the S$15,000 withdrawal will be subjected to income tax but you will also get the S$10,000 tax relief. If you are withdrawing for the following circumstances , there will be no 5% penalty. Death or Full Withdrawal Due to Terminal Illness 50% of full withdrawal sum less an exempt amount of up to $400,000 will be subjected to tax. We'll illustrate more on this in later sections . Medical Grounds For physical or mental incapacity and partial withdrawal on ground of terminal illness, 50% of withdrawal sum will be subjected to tax Bankruptcy 100% of withdrawal sum subjected to tax Full withdrawal of the SRS balance by a foreigner 50% of withdrawal sum subjected to tax if there's at least 10 year holding period. Otherwise, 100% of withdrawal sum and 5% penalty Withdrawal AFTER your statutory retirement age There is a 10-year penalty-free withdrawal period (ie, no 5% penalty on withdrawals). The 10-year starts from your first penalty-free withdrawal and can happen anytime on or after your statutory retirement age. You can withdraw a maximum of S$40,000 each year, of which 50% is tax-free and the remaining 50% will be taxable income. At the end of the 10-years, any balance in your SRS (except life annuities) is deemed to be withdrawn immediately. Your SRS operator will report 50% of such balance to IRAS and this is subject to income tax the following year. After the deemed withdrawal, you can actually withdraw the balance or choose to leave it with your SRS operator. Future returns will be treated and subjected to tax like any other regular investments. Once you have withdrawn all your money and closed your SRS account on medical ground or because you have reached the statutory retirement age, you will not be permitted to open a new account. Note: Insurance policies If you have insurance policies (eg. endowment policies and term annuities), you do not need to surrender your policies. The value of the policies (i.e. based on the surrender values determined by the insurance companies) will be added to your SRS balance to be deemed as to be withdrawn. Life annuities For investments in life annuities, the 10-year withdrawal period does not apply. Before the SRS account is closed or deemed to be closed, annuity payments will be made to the SRS account and will not be taxed if no SRS withdrawal is made. After the SRS account is closed or deemed closed, 50% of the annuity payments will be subject to tax each year perpetually . What happens to my SRS if I die or am terminally ill? If you pass away, your SRS would be deemed as fully withdrawn on the date of death and be passed on to your estate and distributed as per your will or intestacy law . Unlike CPF, you cannot nominate your SRS. Your SRS will form part of your estate. SRS bank operators may require the executor / administrator to produce the Grant of Probate / Grant of Letters of Administration before allowing for transfer to ensure the assets in SRS are distributed correctly. If you are terminally ill, you can withdraw your SRS in full. Related: Estate Distribution Under Will or Intestacy law In both cases, there's no early withdrawal penalty and the tax treatment are the same - 50% of full withdrawal sum less an exempt amount of up to $400,000 will be subjected to tax. Here are some examples to illustrate. Scenario 1: No prior withdrawal. J has $450,000 in SRS. J dies. Tax exemption amount = 10* S$40,000 = S$400,000 Taxable amount = 50% of $50,000 ($450,000-$400,000) . Scenario 2: 1 prior withdrawal J has $450,000 in SRS J withdrew $30,000 in Year 1. S$15,000 (50%*S$30,000) is subjected to tax. J dies/apply full withdrawal in Year 2. Adjusted tax exemption amount = 9*S$40,000 = S$360,000 Taxable amount in Year 2 = 50% of (S$420,000 - S$360,000) = 50% of S$60,000 = S$30,000 Scenario 3: Started prior withdrawal but didn't withdraw every year J has $450,000 in SRS J withdrew S$40,000 in Year 1, when J turned 62 years old (ie, no penalty withdrawal) J didn't make withdrawal in Year 2 as J had a part-time work J dies in Year 3 Adjusted tax exemption amount = 8*S$40,000 = S$320,000 Taxable amount in Year 3 = 50% of (S$410,000 - S$320,000) = 50% of S$90,000 = S$45,000 Is it better to withdraw SRS after statutory retirement age or keep it? The decision to withdraw now or later requires weighing the tradeoff between: Postponing potential tax on your SRS till later; and Accumulating investment returns within SRS and subjecting those returns, which would otherwise not be taxable, to potential future tax. Here are examples to explain. (Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice, tax advice, financial advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature, opinions of the writer and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a p rofessional for advice.) Potential scenario where withdrawing LATER may be optimal If you have other taxable income now and don't need the money from your SRS, it may make sense to postpone the withdrawal to ensure you pay the least amount of tax on your SRS since 50% of withdrawals after statutory retirement age are taxable. You may want to consider waiting till you have little or no other taxable income to withdraw your SRS to fully utilize the income tax-free thresholds. Note: Singapore's income tax-free threshold (the annual income that doesn't get taxed) is currently at $20,000. See updates and the latest tax rates here . Potential scenario where withdrawing NOW may be optimal If you have no foreseeable taxable income for the next 10 years, it may make sense to withdraw and eventually close your SRS as dividends , interest and capital gains are generally not taxable in Singapore. If left in SRS and the investment returns are large enough to get you over the income tax-free threshold, the 50% taxable income after the 10th year may become an issue. If all these seems complicated or if you just want to outsource the work, you can speak to a financial consultant to work out the math, timing and best course of action for you. You can find and compare a list of financial consultants here or speak to us here for recommendation on a financial consultant that suits your needs and style. Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Outsource the work and start planning for you and your family's legacy with Immortalize Prime, your personal elderhood planning assistant ! Next: Dependants' Protection Scheme: How It Works, Bequest & More Part 1: CPF Inheritance: How It Works, Tips & More! Part 2: CPF LIFE - The Best Gift From The Government? Part 3: CPF LIFE, Retirement Sum Scheme or Private Annuity? Which is Better? Part 4: How Can I Maximize the Payout From CPF LIFE Part 5: CPF Investment Scheme: How It Works, Inheritance & More! Subscribe to our mailing list  to get the articles delivered straight to your inbox. Back to CPF, CPF, SRS X Inheritance Series > Back to Resource > FAQ What is the difference between CPF and SRS? CPF is a tax-exempt scheme whereas SRS is a tax deferral scheme. Most parts of CPF are protected from creditors while your SRS account is not. Interest rate on SRS is lower compared to CPF saving rates. How does SRS tax work? Before your statutory requirement age, any withdrawals are generally subjected to 5% penalty and full income tax. After your statutory requirement age, you can withdraw up to $40,000 each year penalty-free for 10 years. After the 10th year, you will be taxed 50% on your remaining balance. There are exceptions and nuances. Check here for more detailed breakdown. What happens to my SRS if I die or am terminally ill? If you pass away, your SRS would be deemed as fully withdrawn on the date of death and be passed on to your estate and distributed as per your will or intestacy law. If you are terminally ill, you can withdraw your SRS in full. In both cases, there's no early withdrawal penalty and the tax treatment are the same - 50% of full withdrawal sum less an exempt amount of up to $400,000 will be subjected to tax. Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice, financial advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

When you are appointed an executor, it means someone trusts and thinks you are responsible enough to do a very important task. But what exactly does it mean to be an executor? What do you have to do? In this practical guide, we will run through the key things you need to know as an executor. What is an executor? An executor is a person or entity appointed in a will to carry out the instructions written in the will to manage the affairs and wishes of the deceased person. Many people appoint their kin or friends as executors, but one can also appoint a professional executor to do the work. Usually, there will be one or two executors (normally up to four) with the addition of substitute executors in case the main executors can’t fulfill their duties. Usually, the substitute executor steps in when: The executor doesn’t want to be an executor The executor has passed away The executor cannot qualify as an executor. For example, the executor doesn’t have mental capacity . The executor is a bankrupt , unless with permission from the High Court. What happens if there are more than one executor? If there are more than one executors in the will, you need to determine if you have to decide jointly with the other executors (ie, all of you have to agree before things can proceed) or anyone of you can sign off on things. The arrangement will usually be stated in the will. If you are the sole executor, you will also need to make sure that you keep proper records as you have a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries and the beneficiaries can potentially sue you if you don’t do your job right. What are the duties of an executor? In simple words, your job as an executor is to get the deceased person’s post-death affairs sorted. Here’s a detailed breakdown of your duties. When a person passes, the executor is responsible for: 1. Finding the last original will 2. Making funeral arrangements (as instructed in the will if any) 3. Gathering the documents and information required to get a Grant of Probate (“Grant”) Grant of Probate is a legal document issued by the court for executors named in a will to have the legal power to manage and distribute the deceased’s estate . Most institutions will not release funds or allow you to make decisions without the Grant. If the value of the estate is below SG$50,000, you can consider applying to the Public Trustee to administer the estate. You can apply for the Public Trustee to administer the estate here . If the Public Trustee agrees to administer the estate, a Grant is not needed. Note that there are circumstances where the Public Trustee cannot help administer the estate. Check here for more information on these circumstances. A lot of the information gathering revolves around compiling the Schedule of Assets , which lists down information including the deceased’s debts, liabilities and assets. Some assets such as Central Provident Fund ("CPF") monies, insurance with nominations, jointly owned properties (eg. joint-tenancy flats, joint bank accounts, etc.) are not covered under the will and thus, does not need a Grant to be distributed. Related: For more information on which CPF monies are covered or not covered under the will, check out CPF Inheritance: How It Works, Tips & More! For more information about the procedures and documents required to get a Grant of Probate, check out All About Probate & Administration (Singapore Edition) 4. After getting the Grant, you will need to gather the assets, pay off debts, liabilities, and other expenses, and then distribute the remaining according to the deceased’s will. All taxes, debts, bills and other expenses such as funeral costs have to be paid first before you can distribute the assets. Funeral, testamentary and administration expenses have priority over other debts and liabilities. Make sure you keep a record of accounts so that when beneficiaries ask for the detailed accounting (which they are allowed to), there won’t be unnecessary disputes. Measures can include opening a separate bank account under the deceased's name to keep it separate from your personal accounts and keeping all receipts of expenses. Do I need a lawyer to get a Grant of Probate? While you can technically get a Grant of Probate yourself, it makes sense to engage the help of a lawyer who specializes in probate matters to guide you through the process, avoid disputes and potentially reduce extra costs arising from mistakes. Cost to engage a lawyer to get the Grant starts from ~SG$1,500, but will vary depending on factors such as the size of the estate and how complicated the estate and probate/administration process is. You can find a list of lawyers that do probate, compare their offerings, and book an appointment immediately with them here . Do executors of a will get paid? Executors are commonly beneficiaries of the estate and that’s usually the incentive to get the job done. But at the court’s discretion , the executors may be allowed for up to 5% on the value of the assets collected. Can I refuse to be an executor? Yes. If you don’t want to be an executor, the substitute executor will be next in line to become the executor. If both the executor and substitute executor don’t want to or can’t do the job, someone else can apply and/or the court will appoint someone. Can an executor pay and outsource the work to someone else? Yes. If you are the executor, you can appoint third parties to assist you with the whole process. For example, you can hire executor assistance to help you manage the whole process, from getting the Grant to collecting and distributing the net assets to beneficiaries. Note that hiring executor assistance is different from having a professional executor named or appointed as an executor of a will. Difference between a professional executor and executor assistant When a professional executor is named or appointed as the executor in the will, the legal responsibility and fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries is borne by the professional executor. In the case where you are named the executor and you hire executor assistance, the executor assistant may be the one doing most of the work, but the legal responsibility is still on you (ie, the beneficiaries can still sue you). So do keep clear records and check on the work done by your third parties. Some firms that offer professional executor service also offer executor assistance service. You can find a list of firms that offer professional executor service that you can book immediately here . For a more personalized recommendation (it’s free!), reach out to us here . How long do I have to decide if I want to be an executor? Application for Grant of Probate must be filed within 6 months from the deceased’s death. After 6 months, executors have to explain the reason for delay. If you do decide that you don’t want to be an executor, make sure you decide fast to be considerate to the person who is going to be the executor. What to do if I don’t want to be the executor of a will? If the person who appointed you (ie, testator ) is still alive, tell the testator so that the testator can make necessary adjustments. If the person is deceased, you will need to sign a renunciation document before a lawyer or Commissioner for Oaths to confirm that you are giving up your right to apply for probate. You can find the document here . What should an executor do if the deceased have overseas assets? Assets in different countries are governed by local laws. There are generally three ways for executors to deal with them. You can apply for a separate Grant of Probate or equivalent in the foreign country; You can take the Grant of Probate that you have obtained in Singapore and reseal it in the foreign country. Resealing is the process of getting that foreign country to recognize the Grant that you have obtained in Singapore; You can apply for a foreign Grant and have it resealed in Singapore. Note: Not all Grants can be resealed as different jurisdictions have different processes and requirements. Resealing is more likely to work if the countries involved are Commonwealth countries. A probate lawyer should be able to advise you on the best course of action. You can find a list of lawyers that does probate, compare their offerings, and book an appointment immediately with them here . If you need recommendation on which lawyer is most suitable for your situation, reach out to us via WhatsApp here (it's free!). Got more questions on being an executor, feel free to email us at j@immortalize.io ! Back to Resource > Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Outsource the work and start planning for you and your family's legacy with Immortalize Prime, your personal elderhood planning assistant ! Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice, financial advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional  for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is an important part of preparing for one's Last Mile of Life. But what exactly is it, how much does it cost and what's the difference between ACP, Lasting Power of Attorney, Advance Medical Directive and other Last Mile of Life-related documents? In this article, we explain the differences and give you a big picture overview of why ACP is important and how to get it done. What is Advance Care Planning? Advance Care Planning (ACP) is the process of planning for your future healthcare options. It is non-legally binding and completely voluntarily. The objective of an ACP is to allow you to have a say in your healthcare when you no longer have mental capacity. In essence, ACP consists of having a conversation with your family and doctors on your goals, values and beliefs, to help them understand your preference towards future healthcare treatments. Your preferences will be documented and stored on the National Electronic Healthcare Record. For example, if you are severely mentally impaired with a low chance of recovery, your individual goals and values may influence decisions regarding comfort care (types of medication given to keep you comfortable) or life-sustaining care (types of treatment to keep you alive). In the event that you are unable to make decisions for yourself, your ACP will guide your representative, also known as your Nominated Healthcare Spokesperson (NHS) , on how to act in your best interest. Who is Advance Care Planning for? While ACP can be done by anyone at anytime, regardless of age or healthcare conditions, ACP can be particularly important if you are frail, have a chronic illness, an early cognitive impairment, or are approaching the end of life. Why is Advance Care Planning important? Planning for your future healthcare options gives you the opportunity to have a say in what you want done to yourself and gives your loved ones better clarity on how to decide for you in the event that you are unable to express your own wishes. Who should I choose as my Nominated Healthcare Spokesperson (NHS)? Your NHS could be your spouse, friend, or even a relative. The person should ideally be : At least 21 year-old; Someone who knows you well; Willing to speak up for your goals and values on your behalf; Someone you trust and will act in your best interests to tell your doctors about the care you would like to receive should you lose mental capacity; and Someone who can handle stressful situations well. You can appoint up to two NHS. If you do appoint two NHS, make sure that they both agree on your preferences. What's the difference between ACP and LPA? The key difference between Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) , Advance Care Planning (ACP) and other last mile of life planning-related documents such as Advance Medical Directive (AMD) and Will is the function of the documents and whether the document is legally binding. In the following section, we explain the differences. LPA vs ACP Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to give legally binding rights to one or more persons (called donee) to make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity. The key focus here is on assigning official powers and LPA generally doesn't tell your representative what specific decisions to make with that power. Related article: Demystifying Lasting Power of Attorney (Singapore Edition) While you can include your healthcare preferences in your LPA, anything specific will need to be drafted by a lawyer, who may not be the best person to give medical advice, and it can be costly. This is where ACP comes in. ACP helps you communicate your wishes to your loved one, who may also be your LPA donee, about the healthcare decisions you would like to make if you lose mental capacity. The key here is about communicating your preferences and the ACP document is not legally binding. *NOTE: If you are considering or have already made an LPA, you should include your donee in your ACP discussions to ensure that your donee is aware of your wishes. AMD & Will An Advance Medical Directive (AMD) tells the doctor that you do not want extraordinary life-sustaining treatments used to prolong your life in the event that you become terminally ill and unconscious. You can think of it as a legally binding document that transfers the power to decide whether to put you on extraordinary life-sustaining treatments to the doctors. The key here is that the doctors get to decide and even if your family, LPA donee or nominated healthcare spokesperson objects, the doctors are legally obligated to respect your wishes. Related article: Demystifying Advance Medical Directive (Singapore Edition) LPA, ACP and AMD takes effect when you are alive and can't decide for yourself. Will , on the other hand, is a legally binding document that takes care of your affairs after you pass away. Related article: What is a Will and how to get it done? (Singapore Edition) Where do I go to get my ACP done? You can do your ACP at certain government hospitals, polyclinics, clinics and social care providers. Which provider is more suitable for you depends on your circumstances. For example, if you are a patient at the hospital or polyclinic, you may ask your doctor for a referral. For a list of ACP providers, click here . How much does it cost to do an ACP? How much it costs depends on factors such as the type of provider, whether you have a decision or require frequent consultations, etc. For example, going to a clinic with three sessions to draft up the documentation can cost ~$300. For a list of ACP providers on Immortalize marketplace and their estimated cost, check here . Need help on getting your ACP, LPA, AMD or Will done? Speak to the Immortalize Customer Service Team and we'll explain what you need to do, how much it costs to get them done and which provider is most suitable for you. What should I do to get started on my ACP? The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has provided some steps to help you get started on your ACP. 1. Think about what is important This involves reflecting on your values and wishes so that you have a clearer and better understanding of yourself to aid you in your choices. Using the ACP workbook can help you reflect on your views and learn about the types of care decisions involved in ACP. 2. Talk with the Nominated Healthcare Spokesperson One of the main points of ACP is about having a conversation with the people acting as your voice in the event you cannot speak for yourself. After picking your NHS, remember to speak to them so that you hear their concerns and they understand your wishes. 3. Document your ACP To ensure that your wishes are available to the healthcare team when needed, make sure that your ACP is documented and submitted to the National Electronic Healthcare Record. This allows your healthcare team to easily access and refer to your Advance Care Plan. For more information on the National Electronic Healthcare Record, who has access and others, check here . What should I do after I make an ACP? You should take care to review and revise your plans periodically to ensure that they are up-to-date with your current wishes. As long as you have mental capacity, you can contact your ACP provider to make any changes. It is recommended that you share any updates with your loved ones, healthcare team, and any other persons you deem relevant. Check out more guides on the Resource page > Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Outsource the work and start planning for you and your family's legacy with Immortalize Prime, your personal elderhood planning assistant ! Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice, financial advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Autism is a condition in the brain that affects a person's ability to communicate, interact with others, etc. While therapies, education and support can improve the condition, there is no known cure for autism. As such, if you are the parent or guardian of an autistic child or adult, you may be concerned with finding the right support for the autistic person in the untimely event of your death. In this article, we explore various options to care for an autistic person should the primary caregiver passes away. Note: This article focuses on the care options for an autistic person. If you need more information on professional deputies or other financial and legal-related planning for the autistic child or adult, please speak to Immortalize about estate planning for special needs person . What is Autism? Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (“ASD”), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and non-verbal communication. ASD is a spectrum disorder, which means that how a person with autism learns and thinks can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Not everyone with ASD requires significant support in their daily lives. Some can live entirely independently. In the following sections, we look at factors to consider when planning for care for an autistic person after the primary caregiver passes away and the options available for future caregivers. How to Care for An Autistic Person After I Die? Overview The type of care available or suitable for the autistic person after you, the primary caregiver, passes away depends on: Availability of successors If there are family members or people whom you trust and are willing to take over the responsibilities of taking care of the autistic child or adult, you can consider home-based care or day care centers to help reduce the burden on such a successor. Degree of autism Depending on where in the spectrum the autistic person falls into, the available care options will differ. Age of the autistic person Some care options are catered for autistic children while others are for autistic adults. Affordability The following charts summarizes the available options. (*Disclaimer: The charts are for the purpose of giving readers a simplified overview and are estimates on the appropriate help for people with different levels of autism. Ultimately, everything is on a case-by-case basis and caregivers should evaluate their personal needs and enquire with experts accordingly.) For anyone with Autism below the age of 18 For anyone with autism age 18 and above We will explore each of these options in turn. General home-based care for autistic child and adult Care for autistic person below the age of 18 Care for autistic person age 18 and above Others General home-based care for autistic child and adult These home-based care generally applies not only to autistic child, but also people with other disabilities and elderlies. Foreign domestic workers and live-in caregivers Foreign domestic workers and live-in caregivers ( with appropriate training) Home-based care services by Social Service Agencies Foreign domestic workers and live-in caregivers Technically speaking, a domestic worker would be a person whom we consider "maid" or "helper" in Singapore employed to do household chores. A live-in caregiver is usually someone who has received nursing or nursing aide training and who's primary duty is to take care of the care recipient and not to do household chores. A live-in caregiver usually costs more than a domestic worker. If you can afford, setting aside a sum of money to hire a foreign domestic worker or live-in caregiver can be very helpful to the future guardian of your autistic child. For aids, try: Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession - Allows you to pay the Foreign Domestic Worker (or Migrant Domestic Worker) levy at a concessionary rate of $60 a month, instead of $300. Each household is eligible for up to two of such concessions, caring for two loved ones at any one time. Home Caregiving Grant - A $200 monthly cash payout to support your loved ones with at least permanent moderate disability, i.e. always require some assistance to perform three or more Activities of Daily Living. Foreign domestic workers and live-in caregivers ( with appropriate training) Depending on where your child falls on the autism spectrum and the support needed, the foreign domestic worker or caregiver may not be equipped with the necessary skills to properly take care of your child. Training for the helper may be needed and this cost can potentially be subsidized by the Caregivers Training Grant , a $200 annual subsidy that lets caregivers attend approved courses to better care for their loved ones. Click here for the list of course available under this grant. Home-based care services by Social Service Agencies (“SSAs”) SSAs are non-profit organizations that provide welfare services and/or services that benefit the community at large. Some SSAs provide home care services which involve a staff visiting your home to offer support such as therapy, personal hygiene care, medication reminders, housekeeping and training in daily living skills. People eligible for such services are aged 16 with physical or intellectual disability as well as mild autism. Click here for the list of SSAs that offer home-based care services. Care for autistic person below the age of 18 Just like how the mass majority would send their child to child care and before/after school care, you could also include in your will, instructions and plans to have the future guardian send your autistic child to care centers with special programs. Related resource: Guide To Making a Will - Singapore Edition [For recommendations on which lawyer/providers are most suitable to help you write a will that caters for your autistic child/adult, speak to us here .] Child Care Sending an autistic child to a child care specializing in providing early intervention support is not only a way to provide respite to the future caregiver, but also a step towards ensuring that your child is getting help with transitioning into the next stage of their life and assimilating into society. Below are two such programs for your consideration. You can also find pre-schools that admit children who require early intervention here . Integrated Child Care Program This program is for children between the ages of 2 to 6. Such children require a low to medium level of early intervention support to prepare them for future entry into mainstream primary education. Applicants can include people diagnosed with autism. Check here for the list of Integrated Child Care Programs. Inclusive Support Program Pilot This program is for children aged 3 to 6 years who require medium levels of early intervention support. They also provide intervention and therapy services within the preschool and such services could be integrated with early childhood education. Check here for more information and for the list of Inclusive Support Programs. Before and after school care Special Student Care Centers Special Student Care Centers provide before and after school care services to Special Education school -going students with disabilities between the age of 7 and 18. This means that your child must be enrolled in Special Education schools. Check here for the list of Special Student Care Centers. Care for autistic person age 18 and above Day Activity Centers (“DACs”) If your autistic adult child requires constant care and monitoring, and your future caregivers don't have the luxury of taking care of him/her during the day, you can consider enrolling your child into DACs - a community-based facility that provides care and skills training to persons aged 18 and above with disabilities (including autism). DACs offer full time and/or part-time support during weekdays. Transport and meals are provided. Fees vary from center to center and are means-tested. Check here for the list of DACs. Residential care (Homes) If you foresee that your autistic adult child may have limited family care support and find that none of the above arrangements are suitable or viable, residential care may be the best option for your child. Currently, there are only two disability homes in Singapore that provide services to adults with the primary diagnosis of autism. St. Andrew’s Adult Home (Sengkang) St. Andrew’s Adult Home (Sengkang) , a joint initiative between the Ministry of Social and Family Development and St. Andrew’s Autism Centre, is the first residential facility in Singapore that caters for autistic adults. Website: www.saac.org.sg/saah Application process: www.saac.org.sg/saah-admission Fees: Means-testing THK Home for Disabled @ Sembawang THK Home of Disabled @ Sembawang - 20 percent of residential spots (out of 180) are reserved for adults with autism with the remaining 80% targeted at persons with intellectual disabilities. Website: www.thkmc.org.sg/services_detail/thk-home-for-disabled-sembawang Application process: Referrals for admission into the Home have to be made via SG Enable. For assistance on referral procedures, contact SG Enable at 1800 8585885 or ad.services@sgenable.sg Others It is not uncommon for persons with autism to also have intellectual disabilities . Some autistic adults live in residential care such as adult disability homes with non-primary focus on autism, community group homes, and adult disability hostels. That being said, most of these institutions cater primarily to persons with intellectual or physical disabilities. However, these options could still be considered, especially if your child is diagnosed with other disabilities on top of autism. Everything is ultimately on a case-by-case basis and caregivers should try and enquire as residential homes, care centers and programs that aren't specifically for autism may accept your case. Check here for the list of Adult Disability Homes. Check here for the list of Children Disability Homes. Check here for the list of Adult Disability Hostels. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest guides on planning for special needs persons and other elderhood affairs Check out more guides on the Resource page > Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Outsource the work and start planning for you and your family's legacy with Immortalize Prime, your personal elderhood planning assistant ! Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice, financial advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

All applications for Lasting Power of Attorney , a document that you can use to give people power to manage your affairs if you lose mental capacity , have to be made via an online portal from Nov. 14, CNA reports , citing the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) as saying on Oct. 15. LPA applications are to be signed digitally via Singpass (previously, it has to be signed manually on a physical form) Hardcopies may still be accepted in exceptional situations subjected to approval Hardcopy LPA certified prior to the launch of the digital portal can still be submitted within 6 months from the date of the donor's signature on the form Donors (people making the LPA) and donees (people who have been assigned powers), including those who registered their LPAs before the digital launch, will be able to view their LPAs in the new digital portal Donors can share their LPA with trusted individuals and after the donor loses mental capacity, donees can share the online LPA with third-party agencies to facilitate transactions on behalf of the donor Donors will still need to meet certificate issues in-person for LPA certification to ensure that the donor understands the LPA being made as well as to make sure that there's no fraud or undue influence Note: LPA form 1 application fees ($75) are waived for all Singaporeans till March 31, 2023. To learn more about LPA, check out: Demystifying Lasting Power of Attorney (Singapore) For a list of certificate issuer and their prices, check out Immortalize Marketplace . To get help on getting your LPA, Will, Advance Medical Directive and other important last mile of life-related planning done, contact us, book a time to chat or leave your contact details . We'll do a quick chat to explain to you the key things you need to know and help you get these matters sorted. All articles and resources > Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Khloe Kardashian, part of the Kardashian family which is one of the most recognizable surnames in the world and famous for their U.S. reality show, recently mentioned in an interview that “If I’m in a coma, I'm still getting my nails done once a week, and that’s in my will.” But is putting her coma wishes in the will the right way to do it? In Singapore, a will is a legal document that tells people your last words and how you want your assets to be distributed after one passes away. So technically, Khloe wouldn't get her wish when she is in coma because her family would only have read her will after she passes away. Therefore, if Khloe is a Singaporean living in Singapore, it would make more sense to either: Communicate it with the person she appoints to manage her personal affair in her Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) , a legal document that gives people official powers to make decision for you if you can't make decisions for yourself (ie, lose mental capacity); or Write it down formally in her LPA. To learn more about LPA and will: Demystifying Lasting Power of Attorney (Singapore Edition) What Happens To My Stuff When I Die? (Singapore Edition) Guide To Making a Will - Singapore Edition If you have any specific wishes for when you can't make decision for yourself or just want to have a conversation about planning for potential mishaps, speak to Immortalize now and let us get these matters sorted out for you. Contact us now. WhatsApp us here , email us at j@immortalize.io , or leave your contact details here and we will reach out to you! All articles and resources > Want to get your other elderhood-related documents such as Advance Medical Directive (AMD) , and Advance Care Plan (ACP) done? Reach out and we'll help you get all these matters sorted. Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Singapore’s boom from money pouring in from mainland China and Hong Kong expats relocating to the financial hub may be making a comfortable retirement harder to achieve, according to a Bloomberg article on retirement for Singaporeans. Below is a summary of the key highlights from the article: Long-term savings being jeopardized Inflation hovering near the highest level in more than a decade; Insufficient wage growth; Accelerating housing costs; Reluctance by many to put money in riskier, higher-yielding investments; Other financial burdens. Growing Percentage of Elders, Retirement Age Impeding wave of retirees Government forecasting that a quarter of the citizens will be at least 65 years old by 2030. Singaporeans confronting the reality of having to work longer Life expectancy rising to 83.5 years — one of the highest globally. Cultural expectation that Asian children will support their parents being tested One of the lowest fertility rate in the world and old age support ratio (number of people capable of supporting a dependent elder) plummeted to a record low of 3.8 in June and is projected to fall to 2.7 in 2030. Dependence on CPF Close to half of Singaporeans plan to count on CPF savings for retirement, Bloomberg reports, citing a survey by digital wealth platform Endowus. It may not be sufficient to survive on CPF savings given the lifestyle you want, Bloomberg reports, citing Jacquelyn Tan, head of group personal financial services at United Overseas Bank Ltd as saying. Retirement Cost Surging in Singapore Below are examples of how much different lifestyle costs, Bloomberg writes, citing OCBC Bank and SingStat data. S$2,550 - Lifestyle A: Two regional holidays a year, commutes via public transport S$3,210 - Lifestyle B: Three regional holidays a year, commutes via taxi or owns mid-range car S$5,760 - Lifestyle C: Two international holidays a year, employs full-time domestic helper Link to article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-12/singapore-retirement-crisis-pension-savings-dwindle-as-costs-surge? All articles and resources  > Check out things you can do during retirement in our Immortalize Marketplace . Want to do your legacy planning or talk to someone to check your financial health for old age? Speak to us now, let us help you come up with a plan and recommend the right providers for you. WhatsApp us here , email us at j@immortalize.io , or leave your contact details here and we will reach out to you! Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Find a professional, compare prices, and kickstart your estate planning Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .

Singapore’s laws are still in the early stages of determining how digital assets can be managed and distributed through a will and when someone passes away without a will, according to Lianhe Zaobao, a Singapore-based news agency, article discussing estate planning for digital assets. In recent years, more people are considering including digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies and NFTs, in their wills, the agency said. But if the location and access details are not properly recorded, the asset may never be found or retrieved. Here are some key points from the article on how to do estate planning for digital assets and issues to consider: Cryptocurrencies You can state the account of your cryptocurrency and leave instructions in your will on how to access and manage the account or you can also transfer it to a hardware wallet, which can be passed on to a beneficiary as personal property. Information that can be included for the executor in the will can include the type, the amount, and the keys of cryptocurrencies with clear instructions on how to manage them, the agency says, citing Fong Wei Li, a lawyer at Forward Legal LLC. Without the login details, your beneficiary will not be able to obtain the cryptocurrencies even if he or she is entitled to them, Fong said. Cryptocurrencies may get sold before one passes away, therefore some people don't spend a lot of time planning on how to bequeath them, the agency cites Low Seow Ling , a lawyer from Eden Law Corporation, as saying. Things that have tax or ownership implications, such as residential properties or shares in unlisted companies, are more likely to be seen in wills as specific gifts, the agency cites Regina Tan, CEO at Immortalize , as saying. With digital assets, it’s more likely to be lumped and distributed as part of the rest of the estate . NFT & Social Media Whether assets can be distributed through a valid will or the intestacy law when there's no will, will depend on whether it can be classified as "property" in law, the agency cites Chua Tju Liang, a lawyer from Drew & Napier LLC, as saying Digital assets, such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and cryptocurrencies, are yet to be classified as "properties" based on Singapore's law, according to Chua. Singapore has yet to determine whether social media accounts are considered assets as assets are usually owned and have monetary value, according to Fong. Since accounts, such as Facebook, don't have immediate determinable monetary value, whether they can be considered as assets is still in question at this point in time, Fong said. Accounts that have many followers may have commercial value, according to Low. If the account is owned by a company, the company or the company shares can be directly bequeathed through a will, Low said. However, one should note that different social media platforms may have different policies on how accounts are dealt with after someone’s death. Link to Lianhe Zaobao's article: https://www.zaobao.com/news/singapore/story20221204-1340051 Got questions or concerns about estate planning for your digital assets? Contact us now. WhatsApp us here , email us at j@immortalize.io , or leave your contact details here and we will reach out to you! Learn more about wills: What Happens To My Stuff When I Die? (Singapore Edition) , Guide To Making a Will - Singapore Edition All articles and resources > Want to get your elderhood-related documents such as Will , Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) , Advance Medical Directive (AMD) , and Advance Care Plan (ACP) done? Reach out and we'll help you get all these matters sorted. WhatsApp us here , email us at j@immortalize.io , or leave your contact details here  and we will reach out to you! Immortalize is Singapore's most comprehensive elderhood marketplace and information provider. Find out all you need to know about ageing better , retiring more meaningfully and leaving a legacy that is uniquely yours here and let us help you get these sorted easily. Find a professional, compare prices, and kickstart your estate planning Disclaimer: Nothing in this article or site should be construed as providing legal advice or advice of any sort. The information provided are general in nature and may become inaccurate over time. Please consult a professional for advice. For any issues or queries, please contact j@immortalize.io .