Why waiting to get your Will or POA in place is not an option...

Essential documents we need

During the current pandemic people are worried about the future. Although writing a Will and Power of Attorney cannot prevent anything untoward from happening, the important legal documents can make things much easier.

As well as ensuring your wishes are carried out, a Will and Power of Attorney can address the things in life that you value the most – your health, family, finances and possessions.

For those who do not have a Will, or need to update their old one, there has never been a better time to write one, for Covid-19 has taught us all about not taking anything for granted and how unpredictable life can be.

ILAWS is an independent legal and Will-writing specialist in Scotland that can easily organise these essential legal documents for you. Some people are concerned about letting people into their home during these uncertain times, however, ILAWS ensures the safety of their clients at all times and they are now back to conducting home visits.

Tony Marchi, principal at ILAWS, said:“while we are not allowed to socialise, you are allowed people in your home for essential services, like arranging a Will or Power of Attorney. It will be safe for them.”

To find out what Covid-safe measures the Will writers at ILAWS are taking, see sidebar on left. Everyone knows what a Will is and about the importance of having one, yet not everyone has one in place. Less people know exactly what is involved in a Power of Attorney, so ILAWS has come up with five reasons why you should organise one today, they are:

1. A Power of Attorney makes it legal for your trusted family members to act on your behalf and make important decisions for you when you are unable to.

2. It also protects you and your spouse’s welfare in a care home.

3. Without a POA in place, a hospital can make your medical decisions for you – and sometimes medics won’t administer treatment if there is any risk to you, even if your spouse or children wish them to do so.

4. Without POA, you could lose access to your bank account which would mean being unable to pay bills. It is advisable to arrange a POA now when you are fit and able to do so, because it might be too late once you become ill or incapacitated.

5. Remember, the average

time it takes for a POA to be concluded is around 14 weeks.

Tony added:“wills and Power of Attorneys are things people have put off for years. Now is not the time to put it off any longer. Public health is of a major concern at this moment in time, and coronavirus is not going to go away quickly, so when are you thinking of doing it?

“We want to get the message across that this is not something you can out off because we have Covid – this is something you need to get done because we have Covid.”

As well as being Will-writing experts and estate planners that specialise in drawing up Power of Attorneys, ILAWS can also offer another essential service that protects your home from being sold to pay for care home fees.

One way is to arrange a

Property Protection Trust, as Tony points out: “You don’t have to lose your home to care home fees, you may be able to protect your home (not everyone can).”

ILAWS can organise a simple Will for you in your home for just £48 (including vat) while a Power of Attorney can be arranged for the special price of £240 (including vat) plus £81 registration fee.