Being asked to act as someone’s donee is a real mark of trust, and it also carries genuine responsibility. Becoming a donee means agreeing to make decisions for another person if they one day lose the mental capacity to make those decisions themselves. This guide explains what a donee does under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in Singapore, the duties you take on, the limits of the role, and where to get proper help. It is general information only, not legal advice, and the official source for anything to do with the LPA is the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).
What an LPA and a donee actually are
A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that lets an adult, known as the donor, appoint one or more trusted people to act for them if they later lose mental capacity through, say, a stroke, advanced dementia or a serious accident. The people appointed are called donees. The key point is that an LPA is made in advance, while the donor still has capacity, and it only comes into effect if and when capacity is lost.
There are two broad areas a donor can grant power over. The first is personal welfare, covering decisions about care, daily living and, within limits, healthcare. The second is property and affairs, covering money, bank accounts, bills, CPF matters and property. A donor can appoint the same donee for both areas or different donees for each. Understanding which powers you have been given is the very first thing to check, because it defines everything you are and are not allowed to do.
Becoming a donee is not the same as being an executor of a will, which only takes effect after death, nor the same as being a court-appointed deputy, which applies when someone has already lost capacity without an LPA in place. If a loved one has lost capacity and there is no LPA, the route is a deputyship application, and that is a separate legal process you would ask the OPG and a lawyer about.
The duties you take on
The single most important rule is that a donee must always act in the donor’s best interests, not their own and not the family’s convenience. Best interests is a legal standard, and it asks you to consider the person’s own past wishes, feelings, beliefs and values, to involve them as much as they are able even after capacity declines, and to choose the least restrictive option that still keeps them safe.
Alongside best interests, a donee is expected to:
- Keep the donor’s money and property completely separate from your own, and never mix the two.
- Keep clear records and accounts of what you spend and decide on the donor’s behalf.
- Make decisions personally rather than handing the role to someone else.
- Respect any conditions or restrictions the donor wrote into the LPA.
- Act honestly, carefully and only within the powers you were actually granted.
A useful habit is to keep a simple file with receipts, statements and short notes on bigger decisions. If anyone ever questions your handling of the person’s affairs, good records are your best protection, and they also help if there is more than one donee who needs to stay coordinated.
The limits of the power
A donee’s authority is real but bounded, and staying inside those boundaries matters. Some decisions are simply off limits. For example, a personal welfare donee cannot consent to certain serious matters on the donor’s behalf, and no donee may make a will for the donor. There are also strict rules around making gifts of the donor’s money or assets, which are heavily limited and cannot be used to benefit yourself. If a decision feels large, unusual or self-serving, that is the signal to pause and seek advice rather than press on.
The table below sets out common situations and the sensible response.
| Situation | Within a donee’s role? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Paying the donor’s bills and care costs | Usually yes, if you hold property powers | Pay from the donor’s funds, keep receipts |
| Making a large gift or lending to yourself | Generally not allowed | Stop and seek advice from the OPG or a lawyer |
| Consenting to routine care and support | Yes, if you hold welfare powers | Involve the donor and their doctors |
| Selling the donor’s home | Only if genuinely in their best interests | Get proper legal and, if needed, valuation advice |
| Managing another person’s separate finances | No, only the named donor’s | Handle strictly the donor’s affairs |
If you also help a parent with day to day money matters, it is worth reading our guide on managing your parent’s finances as a caregiver, which sits closely alongside the donee role. Where a person has lost capacity and left no LPA or will, the situation can drift toward the rules explained in dying without a will and intestacy, which is a reminder of why planning ahead matters so much.
When things get difficult
Acting as a donee can feel heavy, especially when family members disagree or the donor resists help even in areas where you now hold authority. Disagreement does not give you licence to override the person’s dignity. Keep involving them, explain decisions gently, and look for the least restrictive path. Situations where a loved one pushes back are common, and our piece on when an elderly parent refuses help offers practical, respectful approaches.
Two risks deserve special vigilance. The first is your own conduct: because you control money and decisions, you must guard against even the appearance of taking advantage. The second is outside pressure. Donees are well placed to spot and stop exploitation, so it helps to understand the warning signs covered in protecting seniors from financial abuse. If you ever suspect wrongdoing by anyone, including another donee, you can raise concerns with the OPG.
Getting proper help
None of this replaces professional advice. The OPG is the authority that registers LPAs, supervises donees and can investigate concerns, so it is your first port of call for questions about the role, your powers or how to step down if you can no longer serve. For preparing or interpreting an LPA, for property sales, or for anything with legal or tax consequences, speak to a lawyer, and for the donor’s health decisions, work closely with their doctors and care team.
Becoming a donee is an act of care that can genuinely protect someone you love during their most vulnerable years. Take the powers you have been given seriously, act only in the donor’s best interests, keep good records, stay within the limits of the role, and lean on the OPG and other professionals whenever you are unsure. Handled well, it is one of the most meaningful responsibilities you can carry for another person.