This is what Ma wants'

Mother, 62, is proactive about legacy planning so her children can find comfort in knowing...

- JEREMY THESEIRA

When Madam S Amutha, 62, drafted her will in 2021, she thought her affairs were in order. The single mother, who works in healthcare, wanted to ensure that her two children – a daughter, 34 and a son, 29 – would not face any complications should anything unfortunate happen to her. "I figured it was a done deal, and I didn't have to worry about it," she says. The will, which she drafted with the help of her lawyer friend, outlined how her assets would be divided among her children after her death. She divorced nine years ago.

Madam Amutha had also made a Central Provident Fund nomination nine years ago, which states how her savings will be distributed when she dies. But in 2022, she realised her assumptions were misguided – she neglected making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). Madam Amutha, who is a long-time volunteer at the Sri Sivan Temple, in Geylang, learnt about the LPA from a fellow volunteer. The legal document lets you appoint a trusted person to make decisions on your behalf if you lose your mental capacity, such as from medical conditions like dementia, or an accident. Unlike a will, an LPA takes effect while a person is alive.