Power of Attorney

Trouncer Legal provides a full range of Power of Attorney services.

There are two kinds of Power of Attorney.

General Power Of Attorney

A General Power of Attorney authorises another person to sign documents on your behalf, but ceases to have effect if the person no longer has mental capacity. It is generally more useful for short term issues, such as signing documents where you are temporarily overseas. Two advantages are (a) it can be signed before any adult person, and does not have to be certified as having been explained by a solicitor or other functionary, and (b) the person you are appointing does not have to sign a clause in the document accepting his or her appointment before it becomes effective. However, you can suffer sudden illness or accident at any time, so it is usually more sensible, and certainly more effective in the longer term, to sign an Enduring Power of Attorney.

Enduring Power of Attorney

An Enduring Power of Attorney, unlike a general power of attorney, is one which continues to operate after the principal has lost mental capacity. An enduring power of attorney is normally used if the principal wishes their attorney to make decisions for them in the long term.

An enduring power of attorney can be useful because you may become unable to look after things for yourself at some stage in the future. This could be due to physical problems, loss of mental capacity or something unforeseen such as an accident. Making an enduring power of attorney while you still have mental capacity is a cheap, easy and practical step to prepare for the future.

Once you have lost the mental capacity to understand what you are doing, you cannot make a power of attorney. By making an enduring power of attorney, there will be someone who can legally look after your legal and financial affairs if you become unable to do so. Another advantage of making an enduring power of attorney is that you can choose the person who you want to be your attorney.

Power of Attorney Services

There are numerous choices that need to made in the Power of Attorney form. We can guide and advise you about these choices. This is a powerful and important legal document, you must have complete trust in the person/s you are appointing.

Contact Trouncer Legal today for a Free 30min Consultation regarding your Power of Attorney.