Lasting Powers of Attorney: who is going to be your attorney in Rayne?

When it comes to effective estate planning, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) are every bit as important as Wills. But who is going to be your attorney in Rayne or anywhere else in Essex for that matter? It is not an easy decision to make! With this in mind, Laura Richardson looks to make the process of choosing your attorney in Rayne for an LPA considerably easier by providing you with some invaluable guidance . . .

A LPA involves appointing one or more people to make, or help you make, decisions on your behalf. In order to appoint an Attorney you must be over 18 and of sound mind. It is important to note that this article refers to the process regarding LPA in England and Wales only. Making an LPA will give you more control over what happens to you if you fall ill or are no longer capable make the decisions for yourself. There are two types of LPA, ‘health and welfare’, and ‘financial and property’. You can choose to appoint Attorneys for one or both of these. We at Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services have put together some information with regard to choosing the right one or more people to act as your Attorney(s).

Who can be your Attorney?

Your Attorney can be a family member, a Solicitor or other such professional, your spouse or partner, or a friend. It should also be noted that your Attorney does not have to be a British citizen, nor do they have to live in the UK.

Who cannot be your Attorney?

You cannot choose an Attorney who is under 18, or someone who is not of sound mind. If you wish to appoint an Attorney for your financial and property matters, this Attorney cannot be Bankrupt or subject to a Debt Relief Order.

How many Attorneys can I appoint?

You can appoint one or more Attorneys. If you decide to appoint more than one, then you must decide how they will carry out their duties together. There are two options, firstly they can be required to make all decisions jointly, or secondly they can be allowed to make decisions either jointly or separately, so that either one could make a decision on your behalf.

What qualities should I look for in an Attorney?

It is important to consider how well you know the potential Attorney(s), and how well they know you and your preferences.

It is also important that you trust them to make decisions in your best interests.

It may also be useful to consider how they make decisions in their own life, particularly regarding their financial decisions, but also whether your principles, beliefs or wishes would be aligned.

Finally, they must be willing to take on the responsibilities of becoming your Attorney.

When it come to an LPA, an appointed Attorney in Rayne has several responsibilities and expectations and the position should not be taken lightly.

Should you wish to discuss making an LPA in more detail, please contact us at Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services via www.andrewdouglaswills.co.uk and we will be happy to arrange a consultation with you, whether in Rayne or the surrounding areas.

If you would like to keep up with our latest posts and advice about estate planning through the regular advice that we provide to our clients in this regard, then please also feel free to –

Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ADouglasWills.
Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AndrewDouglasWills.
Follow us on Google+ at https://plus.google.com/b/117915389310253337582/+AndrewdouglaswillsCoUk/posts.