We all want to know that our affairs are in order, and most of us like to think we will have as much involvement in them as possible for as long as we can.
However, there may be times when we are either unwell or, for practical reasons, cannot be in the right place at the right time to sort things out ourselves.
Making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) enables you to appoint someone you trust to deal with your affairs in the way that you want.
This may be one or more close family members, a trusted friend, or a solicitor if you prefer.
With your consent, your attorneys can act on your behalf in connection with your finances or property, even if you are still able to make decisions for yourself.
Sometimes, if we become unwell or develop dementia, we cannot make decisions anymore because we lose mental capacity to do so.
In these situations, your attorneys can make decisions for you. Any decisions made on your behalf must be made in your best interests.
The Mental Capacity Act enables people to appoint attorneys to deal with their financial and property affairs in the UK, and, in some cases, their business affairs.
You can also appoint attorneys to make decisions for you in relation to your health and welfare if you no longer have mental capacity to make these decisions yourself. This would include the types of medical treatment you have.
Your attorneys must always try and give you the opportunity to decide things for yourself before “stepping in”, and you can state your preferences or instructions in your LPA.
Making an LPA gives you as much control over your affairs as possible for times when you cannot act for yourself, by enabling you to choose the person who will manage the things which are most important to you.
To make an appointment to discuss an LPA, please contact a member of Woodfines’ Private Client team 01234 270600 or email mail@woodfines.co.uk
Gemma Connolly, Woodfines Solicitors
This is a paid for advertorial placed on behalf of Woodfines Solicitors.
