For most of our lives, we are able to manage our own affairs. However, there are occasions when we will require the assistance of another person to manage our affairs. The law allows us to put in place something called 'Powers of Attorney' which allows others to manage aspects of our lives. If you require assistance with your Power of Attorney, our specialist wills lawyers can help. Get in touch today.
Powers of Attorney Solicitors Tillicoultry
Whether through illness, injury or simply old age, many people lose the ability to dictate their own affairs. When this happens, it can be difficult for loved ones to run your affairs in your interests. Putting in place a Power of Attorney allows them to do this. A Power of Attorney is a legal document which grants authority to manage our affairs to a loved one. Since these can only be put in place while you have the mental capacity to do so, you should act as soon as possible.
There are three types of Power of Attorney recognised in Scotland:
Simple Power of Attorney
Generally used in cases of temporary absence from the country
Continuing Power of Attorney
Allows management of financial & property related decisions.
Welfare Power of Attorney
Allows the making of decisions relating to care, welfare and medical treatment. This last one only become active when the capacity to make our own decisions is lost. It is common to make a combined Continuing and Welfare Power of Attorney.
Power of Attorney Facts and advice:
- You can grant Power of Attorney at any time whilst you retain the mental capacity to do so.
- You should grant the power to someone you trust and someone who knows you intimately in order that your wishes can be respected. This can be a friend, a family member or even a solicitor.
- You can appoint more than one attorney to act alone or with others.
- You can grant different powers of attorney to delegate different powers to different people for different purposes:
- Continuing power of attorney deal with financial and legal matters
- Welfare powers of attorney relate to personal care and medical treatment
Power of Attorney can be revoked at any time while you have the mental capacity to do so. Like an insurance policy, a Power of Attorney is something we hope we never need. However it pays to have one in place in case the worst should happen. We can help draw up any type of Power of Attorney in in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Alloa, Stirling, Dollar, Dunblane, Bridge of Allan or the surrounding areas in Scotland