CPF Money: Beneficiary Representative Approach

1. What is a Beneficiary Representative (“BR”) approach?
The BR approach is a simplified process for disbursing the un-nominated CPF monies of a deceased CPF member that do not exceed $10,000. Under the BR approach, an eligible beneficiary who is entitled to a share of the un-nominated CPF monies is allowed to represent all the other beneficiaries to receive the full claim of the CPF monies on their behalf, upon obtaining their consent. He/she is known as the BR. The onus is on the BR to distribute the monies to all the other beneficiaries in accordance with the Intestate Succession Act 1967 (for non-Muslims) or the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966 (for Muslims), subject to any instruction which the beneficiaries may give concerning their entitlements.

2. Who can act as a BR?
A BR must be a beneficiary according to the Intestate Succession Act 1967, the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966, of the intestacy law of the country that the deceased CPF member was domiciled in. Depending on the rules of distribution, or the Certificate of Inheritance, a beneficiary must be one of the following next-of-kin of the deceased CPF member in the following order:
       a. Spouse;
       b. Child (or Grandchild, if the Child had passed away);
       c. Parent;
       d. Sibling (or Niece and/or Nephew, if the Sibling had passed away);
       e. Grandparent; or
       f. Uncle or Aunt.

3. Who cannot act as a BR?
The following beneficiaries cannot act as a BR:
       a. Undischarged bankrupts;
       b. Minors under the age of 21;
       c. Mentally incapacitated persons; and
       d. Prison inmates.

4. My ex-spouse passed away. Can I submit the BR claim for my child?
If your child is below 21 years old, you will not be able to submit a BR claim. Instead, you may submit a standard claim for your child, along with supporting documents to prove the relationship between your child and your ex-spouse. Your child’s share of the CPF monies will be held in trust by the Public Trustee (“PT”) until your child is 21 years old.

5. Does the BR have to obtain consent from the other beneficiaries before submitting an application for a BR claim?

1. Yes, the BR is required to obtain the consent from all the other beneficiaries (if any) before applying to the Public Trustee’s Office (“PTO”) under MinLaw for a BR claim.
2. The BR needs to declare during the application that (i) he/she is the sole Beneficiary; or (ii) the other beneficiaries have given their consent for him/her to represent them to receive their share of the un-nominated CPF monies on their behalf.
3. After the application has been submitted, the beneficiaries will all receive an email from PTO seeking confirmation that they have provided consent to the BR.
4. Should any of the beneficiaries be below the age of 21, the PT will hold their share on trust for them until they attain the age of majority (i.e. 21 years old). This is because, as minors, they cannot give consent to how their share of the un-nominated CPF monies is to be applied.

6. What happens if one of the beneficiaries is a minor under the age of 21 and is unable to provide consent?
The PTO will require the BR to submit documents to prove the familial relationship of the minor and the deceased CPF member. Thereafter, the minor’s share will be held in trust by the PT until the minor attains the age of 21 years old. The BR will be able to represent the other beneficiaries after obtaining their consent to receive the monies on their behalf.

7. What information and documents are required from the BR if the deceased CPF member is a non-Muslim?

1. The BR will be required to provide personal details and produce supporting documents to prove his/her relationship to the deceased CPF member when submitting the application for a BR claim.
2. The BR will also need to provide the other beneficiaries’ details that include the beneficiaries’:
    i. name;
    ii. ID number;
    iii. relationship with the deceased;
    iv. mobile number;
    v. email address; and
    vi. residential address (if email address is unavailable).
3. All the beneficiaries’ contact details are required as they will receive an email seeking their confirmation that they had provided consent for the BR to represent them in their claim.
4. For beneficiaries who are minors, the surviving parent may provide his/her mobile number and email address. As persons under the age of 21 cannot give consent to have their share received by the BR, no email will be sent to the email address provided. The mobile number and email address collected will be used as a form of communication should the PTO need to contact them when they are approaching the age of majority.
5. The BR need not submit the other beneficiaries’ documents to prove their familial relationship with the deceased if the deceased member, BR or other beneficiaries are Singapore Citizens.
6. The BR will however, need to submit documents to prove the other beneficiaries’ familial relationship with the deceased if the deceased member, BR or other beneficiaries are non-Singapore Citizens.

8. What information and documents are required from the BR if the deceased member is a Muslim?

1. The BR will be required to produce supporting information and documents to prove his/her relationship to the deceased CPF member when submitting the application for a BR claim.
2. The BR will also need to provide the other beneficiaries’ details that include the beneficiaries’:
    i. name;
    ii. ID number;
    iii. relationship with the deceased;
    iv. mobile number;
    v. email address;
    vi. residential address (if email address is unavailable); and
   vii. A copy of the Certificate of Inheritance.
3. All the beneficiaries’ contact details are required as they will receive an email seeking their confirmation that they had provided consent for the BR to represent them in their claim.
4. For beneficiaries who are minors, the surviving parent may provide his/her mobile number and email address. As persons under the age of 21 cannot give consent to have their share received by the BR, no email will be sent to the email address provided. The mobile number and email address collected will be used as a form of communication should the PTO need to contact them when they are approaching the age of majority.
5. The BR need not submit the other beneficiaries’ documents to prove their familial relationship with the deceased if the deceased member, BR or other beneficiaries are Singapore Citizens.
6. The BR will need to submit documents to prove the other beneficiaries’ familiar relationship with the deceased if the deceased member, BR or other beneficiaries are non-Singapore Citizens.

9. How will the other beneficiaries be contacted to provide their confirmation of consent?
An email will be sent to each beneficiary via the email address provided by the BR. The email will invite the beneficiaries to log in via SingPass to PTO’s e-Services portal at https://go.gov.sg/pto-eservices to indicate electronically that he/she had provided consent for the BR to receive the monies on his/her behalf. If the beneficiary is unable to provide consent electronically, he/she can make a request via MinLaw’s Contact Us form (https://eservices.mlaw.gov.sg/enquiry/) for a hardcopy confirmation form to be mailed to his/her residential address.

10. In what circumstances will the beneficiaries’ share of the CPF monies be held by the PT?

1. There are circumstances where beneficiaries’ share of the deceased’s un-nominated CPF monies will be held by the PT. This applies to beneficiaries who are:
   • Minors below 21 years old, whose entitlements will be held until they attain the age of 21.
   • Beneficiaries who are uncontactable, whose entitlements will be held by the PT until they submit a claim.
   • Prison inmates. They may approach the PTO to receive their entitlements upon their release from prison.
   • Undischarged bankrupts who must have their entitlement paid to the Official Assignee or Private Trustee in Bankruptcy.
   • Beneficiaries who are mentally incapacitated and have appointed deputy(s). Their entitlements will be paid to the deputy(s) unless consent is given by the deputy for the BR to receive the monies on his/her behalf.
2. All other beneficiaries not specified above will have their shares paid to the BR if they have provided their consent.

11. What if the BR failed to disclose a beneficiary to PT and obtain that beneficiary’s consent?

1. The PTO will take steps to verify the beneficiaries stated in the application based on available information and records. The PTO will seek clarification from the BR should there be a discrepancy between the information submitted and our records.
2. The onus is on the BR to fully disclose the information of all the beneficiaries for the PTO to ascertain their consent. In circumstances where the BR failed to disclose a beneficiary (and no records of the beneficiary are observed in the PT’s records) and the latter comes forth to claim his/her entitlement of the CPF monies that has been paid to the BR, the beneficiary will be directed to the BR to resolve the matter in private. Actions may also be taken against the BR for making a false declaration.

12. Can the BR still apply to make a claim if he/she knows the existence of other beneficiaries but is not aware of their name, ID number and other information having lost contact?

1. No. The BR will be unable to proceed with the BR application as the BR is unable to obtain the consent of all beneficiaries.
2. The BR will then be redirected to submit a standard claim application instead.

13. If a beneficiary objects to the BR representing him/her, can the BR still submit a claim?

1. No, the PTO will reject the BR claim where disputes have been observed or made known to our office.
2. All beneficiaries must give their consent. If the BR is unable to obtain all beneficiaries’ consent, he/she has to disclose it at point of application and will be redirected to submit a standard claim instead.

14. I received a letter before the commencement of the BR approach (18 June 2022) informing me of the deceased’s un-nominated CPF monies and to make an application. Can I choose to submit a BR claim application?
Yes, the BR claim will apply for cases in which the un-nominated CPF monies were received by the PT before 18 June 2022, provided that the amount does not exceed $10,000.

15. Will the PT administration fees apply for the BR claim approach?
Yes, the same set of PT administration fees will apply. They are as shown below:

These fees, which will be deducted from the CPF money, include GST and cannot be waived. You will have to pay a minimum fee of $15.