Powers of Attorney

Plan for the future/Make your wishes known/

Decide about life sustaining treatment/Allow loved ones to manage your finances

There are several types of Power of Attorney but the most commonly used at the present time are Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA’s). An LPA gives another individual, such as a family member, (the Attorney) the legal authority to look after specific aspects of your financial affairs or health and welfare should you lose the capacity to do so. It’s not just for the elderly; younger people may become incapacitated through accident or illness.

Common reasons you would need help to manage your affairs by LPA are when you become unwell or become forgetful. Or perhaps you find dealing with your finances too cumbersome or have suffered an accident or illness which prevents you from dealing with your affairs.

If you are in business, have significant wealth, or you are a couple where most of th assets are held in one name only, it is crucial that you consider making a Lasting Power of Attorney.

We can:

• advise you whether you should complete a Lasting Power of Attorney to set up attorneys to deal with your affairs in various circumstances

• advise you whether it is appropriate for you to appoint a family member or other as your Attorney

• advise you whether to give a Property & Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney or Health & Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney or whether you should give both

• advise you on the effect of restricting what your attorney can do for you

• Fully complete for you all required forms for your signature

• Send your LPA to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) court for registration. The OPG offer certain exemptions or remissions on the registration fees payable when registering an LPA. We can assess your circumstances and apply any exemptions or remissions that apply to you.

We also have significant experience in the registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney, the creation of General Powers of Attorney and applications to Court for a Deputy to be appointed when a person is deemed to have lost capacity and does not have a Power of Attorney in place.

Download & complete our LPA Questionnaire - return it to us and we'll call you to make an appointment.