Powers of Attorney
A power of attorney is an instrument where a person appoints another (the attorney) to make decisions or take actions on their behalf.
The simplest use of a power of attorney is where you need a document signed, but cannot physically sign it. You could use a power of attorney to appoint someone else to sign the document for you.
Nowadays, powers of attorney are often used to allow a person to make decisions for another when the person is incapable of making decisions for themselves, such as when they are involved in a major accident or suffer from dementia.
It is much better to think through these issues in advance and prepare a power of attorney so that if anything happens, there is an attorney in place so that appropriate and necessary decisions can be made.
The standard power of attorney in the ACT allows a person to appoint an attorney to deal with three types of decisions:
financial - what do do with money and possessions
lifestyle - where the person will live; and
medical - to allow (or not allow) particular medical treatments.
Many people use the medical power to authorise their attorneys to ensure they "die with dignity" so that life prolonging treatment is refused.
What decisions people want to leave their attorneys is, of course, a matter for them, but at least with a power of attorney the person can make the decision beforehand, not leaving important medical matters for families to cope with, often in a very distressing environment.
Feel free to contact Peter if you want to discuss making a power of attorney.
The simplest use of a power of attorney is where you need a document signed, but cannot physically sign it. You could use a power of attorney to appoint someone else to sign the document for you.
Nowadays, powers of attorney are often used to allow a person to make decisions for another when the person is incapable of making decisions for themselves, such as when they are involved in a major accident or suffer from dementia.
It is much better to think through these issues in advance and prepare a power of attorney so that if anything happens, there is an attorney in place so that appropriate and necessary decisions can be made.
The standard power of attorney in the ACT allows a person to appoint an attorney to deal with three types of decisions:
financial - what do do with money and possessions
lifestyle - where the person will live; and
medical - to allow (or not allow) particular medical treatments.
Many people use the medical power to authorise their attorneys to ensure they "die with dignity" so that life prolonging treatment is refused.
What decisions people want to leave their attorneys is, of course, a matter for them, but at least with a power of attorney the person can make the decision beforehand, not leaving important medical matters for families to cope with, often in a very distressing environment.
Feel free to contact Peter if you want to discuss making a power of attorney.