Throughout 2017 we have given advice on a wide variety of legal issues at their free legal clinics held each month in Kingsbridge, Totnes and Dartmouth.
Beccy said “We have been asked to interpret all sorts of legal documents, insurance policies, contracts and agreements and property deeds. We have been shown a number of Wills made years before and asked to confirm that they do what was intended.
Lots of people ask about lasting powers of attorney (LPA). This is a legal document that allows you to appoint a person (or people) to make decisions for you in the future if you are unable to make them yourself. There are two types of LPA, the first allows your attorney to deal with financial and property affairs and the second allows your attorney to make day to day decisions about your health and welfare and life sustaining treatment.
Our advice is that it’s never too early to appoint an attorney. Without appointing an attorney, if you lose the mental ability to look after yourself after an accident or illness, your loved ones will have to ask a court to be appointed as your deputy. This involves an expensive court process that can take months.
If you have not appointed an attorney the person caring for you will not be able to access your money to pay bills or make decisions about your day to day care.”