Power of attourney

[sunsocks]

My sister tells me that I should arrange Power of Attourney asap as there will shortly be a huge increase in the cost of this (and maybe make it more difficult to do this), in case anything should happen to either of us (illness or accident etc)

Can anyone advise on this please (we are only in our forties, she's married and I am single - if that is at all relevant)?

[thugulike]

Why would you want to give anyone Power of Attorney? Are you likely to lose your faculties or move abroad? If you do this she will be able to run all your affairs quite legally. Sinister.

[sunsocks]

I thought it rather strange myself ...... that was why I thought I would ask for other people's thoughts on it. Perhaps she thinks i am losing my marbles!

[Alpina B5]

That would require an Enduring Power of Attorney which is executed on the basis that the donor may lose mental capacity (eg Dementia) at a later stage. It cannot be used immediately, only when the donor is no longer able to look after his/her affairs.

[sunsocks]

So is there an imminent change to how much it costs etc which would make it advisable to set up something sooner rather than later - which is what she is saying. Also would I be vulnerable in any way? (I would include my best friend who I have known for 30 years and who I trust implicitly)

Thanks for replies so far.

[Katy May]

Have just signed some forms to give me enduring power of attourney over my parents. My mother mentioned that the law changes from the end of September and so was keen for me to sign asap. It's a safety net. Apparently if she and my Dad turn into mindless blobs overnight I take the forms down to a solicitors, pay �70 and am then able to deal with all their affairs. Can't do it until that actually happens though so it all seems quite safe.

[GlenB]

I think Alpina B5 and Katy May are not quite correct. My understanding (though I am not a lawyer) is that the Enduring Power of Attorney, if it was completed by 30th September, can be used immediately even though the donor is of sound mind. If and when the donor becomes mentally incapable, the EPA would need to be registered at the Court of Protection.

[GlenB]

Further to my last message, it may be that the EPA could have been drawn up in such a way as to allow or not allow its use, before the donor became mentally incapable.