Giving someone the power to deal with your affairs can be a good idea, but if the document isn’t drafted carefully it can lead to expensive financial and administrative problems.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is the document which gives someone the authority to deal with financial affairs on behalf of another. It is often signed by older people in anticipation of the time when they may become unable to deal with matters by themselves. It must be executed while the donor is still mentally capable of understanding the authorisation they are giving.
Problems can arise if the document isn’t carefully drafted, clearly and unambiguously setting out exactly what the donor wants the attorney to do for them. There are many decisions to be made, including the following:
How many attorneys?
More than one attorney can be appointed. The document needs to state whether they are able to act jointly and severally or just jointly. If they are only able to act jointly, then every attorney will need to be a party to each individual transaction, for example signing a cheque or authorising a financial transaction.
There is also the option to name replacement attorneys who would step in if one of the original attorneys died. Again, their role will depend on whether the original attorneys were acting jointly or jointly and severally. If the original attorneys had to act jointly, then on the death of any one of them, all of them would be forced to stand down and the replacement(s) would step in.
When can the Power of Attorney be used?
The donor can choose to allow the Power of Attorney to be used before they become incapacitated, for example, to facilitate dealing with banks where mobility is an issue. Alternatively, they may want to manage their own affairs until such time as they are mentally unable to.
Restrictions
The Power of Attorney can cover all financial affairs, or it can contain restrictions, for example, not permitting sale of a house or large cash gifts. It is important that any restrictions are clearly drafted, with no ambiguity.
Other Powers of Attorney
The donor may also have drawn up a personal welfare Power of Attorney to deal with health and welfare matters. If different attorneys are named on that document, financial attorneys may need to cooperate with them to find the best way forward for the donor.
Having a Power of Attorney document professionally drafted by experts is well worth the expense. If a document contains errors or is poorly worded it could end up being contested or being declared invalid. In that case, any legal action or application to the OPG to appoint a deputy would be expensive and could result in the donor’s affairs not being administered as they would have chosen.
If you would like to speak to a lawyer who specialises in drawing up Powers of Attorney, ring us on 01634 353 658 or email us at rob@pembrokewillwriters.com.