Some questions to consider…
What will happen to you or your family if old age, injury or illness left you incapacitated and unable to cope on your own? Do you know what would become of you, your finances or property? How would your family cope with managing your affairs? Would they know what to do? Would they know of your exact wishes, how you would like to be treated and be able to make the correct decisions for you?
We all experience these worries as we get on in years. That is why it is a good idea to make all these decisions and provisions, in advance, with a Lasting Powers of Attorney or LPA. It is always a good idea to do this whilst you are in good health and still able to make clear decisions that will set out what your precise wishes are for the future.
At Bird & Co, our expert team of Lasting Powers of Attorney solicitors in Lincoln can help you put in place the best plan for your future that will protect you, your assets and loved ones should an illness, injury or old age leave you unable to continue managing your own affairs.
Our expert team of Powers of Attorney solicitors at Bird & Co in Lincoln can help you with two types of LPAs:
- LPAs for Property and Financial Affairs – which relates to your money and property. It will cover all the decisions that need to be made about how your bank, building society and investments will be managed, your welfare and benefit payments, the buying or selling of any property, tax, debts or legal matters.
- LPAs for Health and Welfare - which relates to your health and welfare. It will cover issues such as how you would like to be medically treated and your care arrangements, such as where you will be cared for, the type of care that you would like to receive and your daily routines.
Our friendly and dedicated team of solicitors in Lincoln are on hand to provide sensitive and professional guidance, supporting individuals and their families through some of the most difficult and challenging decisions. We will be able to answer any questions you may have, advise you of your options and help you with the completion and registration of all the necessary legal documents.
We can help with the following matters relating to LPAs such as:
- Making a Lasting Powers of Attorney.
- Registering a Lasting Powers of Attorney.
- Applications to the Court of Protection.
- Powers of Attorney Disputes.
By making a LPA with our expert Lasting Powers of Attorney Lawyers in Lincoln, today, you will be taking sensible and proactive steps towards safeguarding your future, ensuring your exact wishes will be followed, later on. This is the best way of giving you and your family peace of mind and security, since proper plans will be set in place, helping to avoid any future problems cropping up, for either you or your loved ones.
There are many advantages to having an LPA in place, such as:
- You will be able take control of your future while you still have the health and capacity to do so.
- You will be able to appoint either one or more attorneys, of your own choosing, who will later act on your behalf. This might be friends or relatives (over age 18) who you trust to support your decisions, respect your values and will, therefore, always act in your best interest.
- You will be able to set out the specific powers your attorney or attorneys will have.
- You will be able to specify and make clear your exact wishes so it is clear to family and friends how you would like to be treated and how you would like your affairs managing for you.
- You will be able to specify what should happen to your property or assets.
- You will be able to inform other people, such as friends and family about your LPA, well in advance, to seek their views or worries, giving them an opportunity to have a say.
- You will avoid costly and lengthy applications to the Court of Protection for a Deputy to be appointed, under the circumstances where an individual has lost the capacity to manage their own affairs and there is no LPA.
- You will avoid complications caused by Data Protection legislation by making it straight forward for people to mange things on your behalf.
- You will avoid conflicts arising in the future, since signatures of both you and your attorneys can be witnessed.
- You will secure your future, giving everyone involved confidence and peace of mind.
Powers of Attorney Disputes
Disagreements sometimes erupt between family members and attorneys over issues relating to an individual’s mental capacity. For examples disputes can occur over whether the individual:
- Had mental capacity when they made the LPA or
- Still has mental capacity
Other conflicts can happen because the individual’s affairs are being handled badly in respect to spending, property sales, investments, gifting or Wills.
If a Powers of Attorney Dispute does arise, despite there being an LPA in place, which can still happen, we can help.
Whatever the nature of the disagreement, our expert Powers of Attorney Dispute solicitors in Lincoln can assist you with prompt specialist advice or skilled mediation that will help bring an efficient resolution to your Powers of Attorney dispute.
To make an appointment with us or to find out more about how our specialist Powers of Attorney solicitors at Bird & Co’s Lincoln office can help you with an LPA matter, telephone our dedicated team on 01522 803050, email enquiries@birdandco.co.uk or just complete our easy online enquiry form and we will get back to you, shortly.