A Power of Attorney ( POA) puts protection behind you should you become ill or unable to make medical or financial decisions, and it can save your loved ones a lot of time and stress.

For Mrs Jean Leslie, 86, preventing any unnecessary worry for her son and her three grandchildren was one of the main reasons for organising a POA.

Jean said: “I just feel that’s it’s a big burden on my son if I don’t get things settled.”

It’s something Jean has first-hand experience of; when her aunt got ill, she didn’t have a POA, which caused some difficulties.

This experience meant Jean was all too aware of just how important legal documents are. Although Jean already had a Will she didn’t have a POA in place.

When she saw an advert in the Sunday Post for ILAWS, she was impressed with the price.

She gave them

a

call and arranged an

Downsizing can bring you a welcomed financial boost, but it isn’t right for everyone. There is another way you can free up some money by remaining in your own home — and that is by releasing equity.

With equity release, you could stay put in the home you love, the one you raised your family in, renovated how you like it and worked hard to pay off, and have a cash lump sum to enjoy.

If you are aged over 55 and own your home, then you could be entitled to unlock some of the money tied up in your property. How much you’ll be able to free up is difficult to answer, as it will be based on factors like the current value of your home and your age – equity release calculators are available online to give you an idea.

There are two main options for equity release, home reversion and a lifetime mortgage. The most popular choice is a lifetime mortgage, which is a loan secured against your home. You’ll normally only pay back the loan amount and accrued interest when you die or move into long-term care (although some allow repayments).

You can take money as one lump sum or, with some options, in smaller sums, up to the agreed amount. Interest rates will vary with different lenders, so you need to do your research to find the right match for you.