If you decide to appoint someone as your attorney and prepare a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), it is important to do your research.
Here, Helen Jago, a Director at Palmers Solicitors, who specialises in Older Client matters, explains how an LPA can provide certainty for you and your loved ones in the future:
LPAs are used when you no longer have the mental capacity to make decisions and they must be registered before they can be acted upon.
There are two different types of LPA – property and finance and health and welfare – which means you may want to appoint two attorneys to take care of these different affairs.
Property and finances
Appointing this type of attorney will mean that they can help you with decisions on:
- Bank accounts
- Money, bills and taxes
- Pensions
- Properties and investments
Once you have appointed an attorney, you can decide if they will make decisions straight away for you, even while you still have the mental capacity to do so, or make decisions for you after you are unable to do so yourself.
Health and welfare
A different attorney can be appointed for decisions regarding health such as:
- Where you will live
- The care you will receive
- Consent over medical treatment
This LPA will only be used if you have lost the ability to make decisions regarding your personal welfare.
Contacting a solicitor
You should consult with a solicitor when deciding on LPAs to ensure the necessary documentation is drafted correctly and your attorneys are correctly registered.
You may also choose to appoint your solicitor as an attorney to decide on matters based on their knowledge of your personal affairs and wishes.
Get in touch with us for more information on LPAs and how you should begin the process.