What are power of attorneys?
The Power of Attorney is a document in which you designate a specific person(s) to act on your behalf on matters detailed in the Power of Attorney.
Types of Power of Attorneys
- Continuing Power of Attorney (for Property): This gives a person(s), that you have chosen, the capacity to act on your behalf and make decisions about your property (including financial affairs) if you become mentally incapable to do so.
- Power of Attorney for Personal Care: This gives a person(s), that you have chosen, the capacity to make decisions about your health care and where you will live if you fall sick when you become mentally incapable of making such decisions for yourself.
- A General Power of Attorney : This gives a person(s), that you have chosen, the capacity to act on your behalf and make decisions about your property, but discontinues if you become mentally incapable. You may limit what decisions such person(s) may make on your behalf, by making the power of attorney specific for a particular purpose (i.e.buying or selling a home).
Estate Planning
Similar to the Will, it is important that you have the Continuing Power of Attorney and Power of Attorney for Personal Care in place. You want to ensure that you have a trust worthy
and capable person(s) making decisions for your property and personal care while you are incapable of making such decisions.
The Power of Attorney process
In most cases, we prepare the Power of Attorneys alongside your Will. We email you a Power of Attorney questionnaire, which you are asked to complete and email back to us.
Below of some of the questions that appear on the questionnaire:
Power of Attorney for Personal Care :
- Who will be your Attorney?
- Who will be your alternate Attorney (in the event your primary choice is not able to or unwilling to make a decision)?
- Would you like to be kept alive by artificial means (i.e. life support)? More specifically, if your medical practitioner(s) have determined that there is no reasonable expectation of either a substantial recovery or improvement in quality of life (as a result of the injuries/disability), would you like to kept alive by
medications, artificial means or other heroic measures?
Continuing Power of Attorney:
- Who will be your Attorney?
- Who will be your alternate Attorney (in the event your primary choice is not able to or unwilling to make a decision)?
Once you email the completed questionnaire back to us, we will prepare the Power of Attorneys. We will then set up a meeting for you to come in and sign such documents (and the Will if applicable). We will review the document thoroughly at such meeting prior to you signing it.