If you cannot afford to pay for your child's expenses like school fees, medical bills, or other necessary costs, the Public Trustee's Office (PTO) may pay or reimburse these expenses from your child's trust fund after assessment.

What expenses can be covered

PTO can pay for expenses that are necessary for your child's wellbeing and development, such as:

• School fees and educational costs

• Welfare of the child

Example: If your child needs $2,000 for school fees and you cannot afford it, we can pay the school directly from your child's trust fund.

How we decide

PTO will consider your application based on:

• Your financial situation and ability to pay

• Whether the expense is necessary for your child

• The amount of moneys available in your child's trust fund

How payments work

If PTO approve your request:

Option 1: Direct payment

• You provide the institution's bank details

• We pay directly to the service provider (school, hospital, etc.)

Option 2: Reimbursement

• You pay first and keep the receipt

• We reimburse you after approval

• Moneys is transferred to your account

What to do next

To apply for expense coverage:

• Visit our e-Services at https://go.gov.sg/pto

• Click on “Maintenance and Allowance for Minor”

• Log in with your Singpass

Need help with the steps? Download the step-by-step guide.

Required documents

• Proof of the expense (invoice, bill, receipt)

• Institution's bank information (if we pay directly to the service provider)

• Birth certificate of the child and your identity card (if you are the parent)

• Guardianship documents (if you are the guardian, not the parent)

If you need help

Contact the Public Trustee's Office:

• Phone: 1800 225 5529 (airtime charges may apply for mobile calls)

• Online enquiry:  Contact Us @ OneMinLaw at https://go.gov.sg/contactminlaw

[Note] Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM