Why Power of Attorney is vital at any time and age

You may think this legal protection is only for the elderly but it’s a vital tool in managing your affairs

Having control of your life is a fundamental desire. We want to know that whatever happens our wishes will be followed.

But many of you are possibly not aware of how easy it is to lose that control without basic legal protections.

Take Power of Attorney for instance. There’s a fairly common misconception that PoA is only needed for people who have dementia and have become unable to make decisions for themselves.

In fact, the number of situations where PoA is either useful or vital is wide-ranging.

One example of this is if you travel frequently or plan to be away for an extended period. Granting PoA can allow someone you trust to handle specific legal or financial matters, such as selling a property or making an insurance claim, on your behalf. Similarly, if you have business interests, PoA allows someone to make decisions and manage affairs in your absence or if you become incapacitated. Granting someone PoA allows them to vote on your behalf at company meetings or manage properties for you. They can authorise repairs and apply for planning permission.

The chances of you being declared incapacitated are perhaps more likely than you think too. Did you know it can happen from something as simple as a high temperature?

If that happens and you don’t have PoA, you can find yourself unable to act on a range of matters.

Doctors can make medical decisions without the consent of your loved ones. In some cases medics won’t administer treatment if there is any risk to you, even if those close to you want them to do so.

Tony Marchi, principal at ILAWS Scotland, said: “People think PoA is only for someone with dementia. It’s really not. An accident or illness is enough to have someone incapacitated and needing someone to have authority.”

He added: “You need authority to do anything these days. Whereas 20 years ago you could pay a care bill from your wife’s bank account, you just cannot do these things

To talk to someone at ILAWS about arranging your Power of Attorney, call 0800 0499688 today or find out more at: ilawsscotland.co.uk

these days. You can be in hospital and you can’t even change your TV package without authority.” ILAWS can arrange PoA for you for the low price of £195 + VAT = £234 (plus £87 court and registration fees) when they can cost as much as £600 elsewhere. It’s a one-off cost, too, as the fee applies to the granter of the Power of Attorney and not the one receiving it. So if you grant PoA to three people it will cost the same as one. Wills can also be written for the low price of £50 plus VAT = £60.

Their PoAs cover every scenario from access to bank accounts to voting at company meetings, filing tax returns and leasing properties to name just a few. So, you can be sure that whatever the eventuality, your wishes will be followed.

The firm offers a no-obligation, free consultation. If you decide it’s not for you, then it won’t cost you a penny.

At the moment, the Office of the Public Guardian, which processes PoA, is working on electronic submissions from July last year and postal applications from September. So, the sooner you act, the better. Although ILAWS can offer an expedited process in certain situations.

So, it might be time to get Power of Attorney. It’s not about giving away control. It’s about taking control.