Navigating the complexities of legal documentation can be challenging, especially when it involves appointing someone to make significant financial decisions on your behalf.
At Burgess Thomson, a premier legal firm based in Newcastle, we specialise in providing comprehensive Power of Attorney services tailored to meet your unique needs and circumstances. Our expertise ensures that your financial interests are safeguarded, giving you peace of mind for the future.
A Power of Attorney is a legal document that grants another person the authority to make financial decisions on your behalf. This can include actions such as selling your property, managing your bank accounts, and handling your investments. It becomes especially crucial in situations where you may be unable to make these decisions yourself due to illness or absence.
Enduring vs. General Powers of Attorney
Understanding the difference between an Enduring Power of Attorney and a General Power of Attorney is essential in making informed decisions about your financial wellbeing:
At Burgess Thomson, we can guide you through the process of choosing the right type of Power of Attorney based on your circumstances. We also assist with the witnessing and registration of these documents to ensure their validity and legal recognition.
Selecting the right legal firm to handle your Power of Attorney is crucial. Here's why Burgess Thomson stands out
Entrusting someone with the authority to make financial decisions on your behalf is a significant step. With Burgess Thomson, you gain a partner committed to safeguarding your financial interests through expertly crafted Power of Attorney services.
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Anyone over the age of 18 who has the capacity to understand the nature and consequences of the document, who makes the decisions in the document of their own free will and who can communicate clearly what those decisions are.
Before you need one! These documents safeguard your interests in the event of something unforeseen – an accident or illness that robs you of your capacity to make decisions for yourself. It is better to be prepared and confident in knowing that the person you choose will be making important decisions about your money, your living arrangements and your health.
You can choose when you want it to start. If you don’t make it clear when you want it to start then it will commence when your attorney signs the document to accept their position.
You need to appoint someone you trust to make the right decisions. You can appoint more than one person if you wish, and you can specify exactly how they make their decisions – jointly or separately. For a Power of Attorney, make sure that the person you appoint has the necessary skills to deal with your finances.
They are legally responsible to you and must act in your best interests. While you have mental capacity, they must obey your instructions. They cannot give gifts to themselves or to anyone else unless you specifically authorise this and they must keep their finances and money separate from yours, keeping accurate records of all of their dealings with your money.
Yes, as long as you still have the decision-making capacity to do so you can revoke or change these documents. This has to be done in a legally binding way, however, so please seek legal advice.