Most of us don’t like to think of a time when we will not be able to manage our own affairs. Making some plans for this eventuality, however, is important and helps provide a safety net that is legally underpinned.
Most people associate a lasting power of attorney with later life, when someone has a condition such as dementia, for example.
In fact, it can be used for a wide variety of circumstances where you may be unable to manage your own affairs and want someone you trust to take over.
DSM Legal are the lasting power of attorney solicitors covering Newton-le-Willows who will be able to talk you through all the options and help decide what is best for you.
What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?
A lasting power of attorney is a legal document that essentially gives someone else the right to act on your behalf. You might, in the future, have an illness that stops you being able to make decisions. It could well be something in later life like Alzheimer’s. It could happen if you are incapacitated through an accident or an illness such as stroke.
With a lasting power of attorney, you nominate a person to take over responsibilities for you. There are two types of document:
Property and Financial Affairs
This gives the attorney you have nominated the responsibility to manage affairs relating to your personal assets and finances. It might be something as simple as dealing with your pension or paying for groceries at the local supermarket. It often means handling bills or other financial affairs.
If you own a business, a lasting power of attorney could give the nominated individual the right to act on your behalf.
You can stipulate what the attorney can and cannot do and, if circumstances change, you can take back control again.
Health and Welfare
This gives you the opportunity to nominate an attorney to make decisions about your health and wellbeing. If you have a condition such as Alzheimer’s, for example, that could include managing your day to day living, making medical decisions on your behalf and deciding whether you need more specialist care for the future.
Both types of lasting power of attorney are designed to give you complete peace of mind. If you do not have something like this in place, it means loved ones will have to make an application to the Court of Protection to have the legal right to make decisions on your behalf. That can take time and money.
Why DSM Legal for a Lasting Power of Attorney in Newton-le-Willows?
As a local solicitors with a huge amount of experience dealing with lasting power of attorney in Newton-le-Willows, we provide all the support and advice you could ever need. We’ll sit down with you and talk through your requirements and what you want the lasting power of attorney to achieve. And we’ll do it all in plain language so that you understand everything.
We can then put together the legal documentation, talk you through it and make sure that all work is completed properly and there to protect you and your loved ones in the future.
If you would like to find out more about setting up a lasting power of attorney contact DSM Legal today.
