What age should we make a poa

valk_scot

Mojisola wrote: »

One simple example - If your husband's name is on any of the utility bills and he is seriously ill in hospital, the company won't deal with you.

You can get this changed though and it's well worth doing anyyway so that it's not always the OH that has to deal with problems. If you don't want your actual name on the bills (?) then many places will also accept the main account holder authorising a specific named person to deal with the account. Not for money accounts, but it works for a lot of utility companies.

I should point out that even with POA or financial POA, it takes a wee while to get it activated when it becomes necessary. It's not just a question of telling the bank you have POA, you have to jump the hoops to get the paperwork completed and activated. Otherwise someone who had arranged POA in advance for a parent, say, could be stripping out all their assets while the parent was still perfectly capable, without their permission. Maybe this is what's worrying your OH, OP?

74jax

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

Thanks. I can't understand why you would need one for a Spouse though still

My mum had a stroke and spends her day rocking in her own world.

She gives all her money away to anyone who knocks on the door, dad can't stop this as he doesn't have the right to stop her decisions.

She chooses to sit and wee on the sofa, dad can't stop this as if this is how she chooses to live he can't interfere.

Mum clearly needs care, dad can't enforce this as he doesn't have legal right if she refuses.

Mum won't take tablets, because she forgets to, dad can't force her to as it's her choice.

I want my OH or DD to be able to say 'mum you've lost the plot, you need to go in a home, you're better off there' and be able to. I want my family to be able to take my financial affairs off me when they spot me giving hundreds away to the neighbour who has just moved in 2 doors away.

securityguy

74jax wrote: »

My mum had a stroke and spends her day rocking in her own world.

She gives all her money away to anyone who knocks on the door, dad can't stop this as he doesn't have the right to stop her decisions.

Why doesn't he apply to the court of protection and obtain power of attorney that way?

mummyroysof3

Thanks. I'm only asking cos I've not come across it before and want to understand better. That must be very hard for your dad, I don't understand though how for example your mum deciding 10 years ago to do a poa would help....again I just want to understand better. Maybe I should google it lol

room512

74jax wrote: »

Can I ask what age your mum was? Was it around ours or older?

She was 72. She's 74 now and is fit and healthy. She just wanted the security of knowing that it was all in place for the future.

Mojisola

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

I don't understand though how for example your mum deciding 10 years ago to do a poa would help....

My parents set up POA years ago. The paperwork sat in their safe and didn't affect their lives at all.

When Dad deteriorated and was unable to make decisions for himself, I registered the POA and can now manage his affairs for him.

Brighton_belle

Mojisola wrote: »

My parents set up POA years ago. The paperwork sat in their safe and didn't affect their lives at all.

When Dad deteriorated and was unable to make decisions for himself, I registered the POA and can now manage his affairs for him.

Same here. We set up Health and Finance POAs for our parents last year. We also registered it as they are at an age and circs where their health make suddenly deteriorate and it takes about 8 weeks at the moment to register a completed POA and we didn't want that wait if decisions needed to be taken quickly.
The paperwork is just sitting there quietly unused and not affecting their life at all unless they reach a point where they can't manage their affairs. It will make a difficult time just a little easier for us all to have it all there ready to be used.

OP in answer to your question I do think every one should have one (assuming they have people they trust in their life) as any of us could be incapacitated at a moments notice. Haven't done one for myself though yet...

It is quite expensive for solicitor to fill out the forms. I did all the form filling for my parents to avoid the cost of a solicitor - took time and concentration but there are excellent guides out there from age concern etc on how to do it, if forms don't intimidate you. Important to get right though.

74jax

securityguy wrote: »

Why doesn't he apply to the court of protection and obtain power of attorney that way?

Sorry I was giving examples to mummyroysof3 why I would like one in place now.

It does seem my OH is in the majority though - in that he wants to do it when older rather than now.

Thanks everyone, I guess like wills it depends on the individual, I've had a will since I was 18 yet OH at 37 doesn't have one.

Knowing I will have my poa in place reassures me so I think that's how I know its time to make one now.

I do appreciate everyone is different.

Mojisola

74jax wrote: »

It does seem my OH is in the majority though - in that he wants to do it when older rather than now.

Thanks everyone, I guess like wills it depends on the individual, I've had a will since I was 18 yet OH at 37 doesn't have one.

I think that we make wills and set up POAs not for ourselves but to make life easier for our loved ones. If they are ever needed, it's likely that our families will be going through a stressful time. Why make life more difficult for them?

mummyroysof3

I still don't understand how it would stop them giving money away or force them into care if they saying no though just cos they wrote itndown years before