Many of you may not be familiar with the term Lasting Power of Attorney but it is vital that you are.
What is an LPA?
A Lasting Power of Attorney or LPA enables someone you trust (an Attorney ) to deal with your everyday affairs should you become incapacitated for any reason.
This could be because you are ill in hospital, have lost mental capacity, because of a stroke or brain injury, or you have suffered an accident or dementia.
Many couples assume that if they have a joint bank account, they can easily access the account should any of the above happen but if your spouse or partner loses capacity then the bank is entitled to freeze your account preventing you from accessing your money.
All of this can be avoided if you prepare an LPA in advance.
Are there different types of LPA?
There are 2 types of LPA one for Finance and Property and the other for Health and Welfare.
Both are extremely important as they allow your appointed person/persons (Attorneys) who you trust to deal with your financial matters such as paying your bills or withdrawing money on your behalf. The Health and Welfare LPA provides your attorneys whom you have chosen with the authority to make decisions in relation to your health and care and even life sustaining treatments.
They can of course only undertake such decisions in relation to your health after you have lost mental capacity.
The procedure is simple and straightforward with a registration fee of £82.
Far too many are leaving it too late, as once you have lost mental capacity it is too late to prepare an LPA and the application then has to be made to the Court of Protection which is far more costly.
None of us wish to think of such events but it is essential that we do, if we wish to avoid leaving or loved ones with such difficulties as accessing your finances and not even being allowed to make decisions about your health. Not to mention how costly instead the application to The Court of protection is at present.
You can easily avoid such problems for the future by contacting us today to discuss and prepare your LPA to protect yourself and your family.