Why you should arrange Power of Attorney now

It’s tempting to think organising the likes of Wills and Power of Attorney (POA) is something that can wait until we’re older. But don’t make that mistake – they are important for all adults to have in place no matter their age.

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It’s a sombre thought, but accidents and ill health can strike at any time. And if the worst does happen, not having your affairs in order can make it more stressful and difficult for your family to carry out tasks, like banking, on your behalf, or ensure you get the right care, in the way that you would like.

Why do I need Power of Attorney?

A Power of Attorney is the only person who’ll have the authority to make medical and financial decisions on your behalf, when you are unable to.

And this doesn’t just come into play for serious accidents or illnesses. It can be a shock to learn that even a high temperature can lead to a Power of Attorney being required.

Tony Marchi, principal at ILAWS Scotland, explains: “If you’re hospitalised with a virus or infection for example, and your temperature is high, that means you can be classed as incapacitated.

“Without Power of Attorney, you won’t be allowed to make decisions for yourself and you can’t authorise anyone else to make decisions for you – not your spouse, not your children.

“We’ve all had a high temperature, so we know it can happen. It’s not just the risk of being in a serious accident, it can be something as simple as catching a virus that could leave you in need of a Power of Attorney.”

Power of Attorney facts

A Power of Attorney will have the authority to make medical and financial decisions on your behalf, when you are unable to. So what else do you need to know about Power of Attorney?

Tony adds: “You can appoint anyone you wish as Power of Attorney – family or friends, whoever you trust.

“And you can appoint as many as you wish. You can appoint a principal and a substitute, or appoint people jointly. It’s entirely up to you. You’re in control of it.

“Plus, you don’t pay per attorney you select, it’s per grantor. So you pay once for yourself, regardless of how many Power of Attorneys you select.”

As well as making medical decisions, a Power of Attorney will also have the authority to help with the financial side of things during a period of ill health. That includes managing your bills and accounts, and helping to safeguard your assets and savings.

Remember though, your POA will only come into play when it’s needed.

Tony explains: “You’re not giving away control, you’re taking control. Someone can’t use Power of Attorney to run your life, you’re just making sure you have protection behind you if you can’t make decisions for yourself.”

ILAWS Scotland can arrange Power of Attorney

ILAWS Scotland are estate planning specialists. They arrange POA for thousands of clients every year – you’ve probably seen their adverts on STV. As experts in Wills and POA, ILAWS take the hard work out of sorting your affairs.

Like their adverts say, there’s no drama with ILAWS.

Let’s face it, none of us likes to think about worst case scenarios involving accidents or ill health. Sometimes it’s only when we’re at a funeral or when someone close to us gets really ill that we consider what we’d want to happen if we were in the same boat.

And yet, we can’t act retrospectively when it comes to organising legal protection – something that Tony is keen to emphasise.

He says: “Be one of the smart people and take control. It’s hard to under-stress the importance.

“You might not need these documents now – hopefully you’ll never need them. But don’t wait until something happens to arrange it because then it’s too late. Do it now.

“Once you’ve done it, it’s done for life – and with a bit of luck, you won’t need it. But it’s there just in case.”

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So, let ILAWS sort your affairs with a friendly service and no drama.