How an LPA can protect you and your family

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you appoint one or more people, known as ‘Attorneys’, to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf. This gives you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions through lack of mental capacity.

You are never too young to have an LPA in place. So many people believe that they do not have to worry until they are over 55 years of age, when in fact if you lead an active life such as skiing, mountain biking or any form of extreme sport it may be worthwhile putting something much earlier. 

Although we all hope that the LPA will never have to be used, if the day comes when your LPA is needed, your loved ones will be so grateful that you had the forethought to put a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place which will enable them to make decisions on your behalf and ensure your financial and health issues are looked after when you are not able to do so for yourself.

There are two types of LPAs; 

• Property and Affairs: which allows your Attorney to deal with all your financials and tax affairs, buying or selling your home and dealing with other assets

• Health and Welfare: Which allows your Attorney to deal with your medical day to day care, diet, dress and visitation, where you live ie: moving to a care home and even whether to give or refuse life-sustaining treatment if you chose 

  
  

Making a LPA gives you that peace of mind that, should anything happen to you in the future and you were unable to make decisions for yourself, the decisions you make now will be fulfilled.