Power of Attorney video transcript

Whatever age you are you should have a power of attorney as you never know what's round the corner.  If you've lost capacity to grant a power of attorney then in order to deal with your affairs your family may have to apply to the court for a guardianship which is a time-consuming and costly process.

A power of attorney is a legal document which authorises one or more people to act on your behalf and you can set up a power of attorney for financial and welfare matters. It can cover a variety of situations and you can decide what powers you want to give and when those powers are to be used. By putting in place such a document you're not giving away your own ability to deal with matters, you're simply taking sensible steps to safeguard your future and to make things easier for your family should the worst happen. It means you can be sure that your affairs will be looked after by a person of your choosing which could be a family member, friend or professional person.

Your power of attorney covers two areas: your finances and your welfare. With a financial power of attorney your chosen financial attorney will help deal with matters  relating to your property and your finances. With a welfare power of attorney your chosen welfare attorney will deal with matters relating to your health and personal welfare. A financial attorney can also help you whilst you're fit and well but only under your instructions. A welfare attorney however, can only help you if you've lost the ability to make decisions for yourself.

Our team here at Thorntons have a raft of experience in dealing with powers of attorney. To find out more please get in touch using the telephone number or enquiry form on our website. We can then meet with you in one of our offices, or even at home.