Alternatives to Power of Attorney

anntho35

While my father still had a full grip on life and of his finances, he made me joint account holder on his bank account. At that time I specifically asked the bank not to send statements to me etc. but when it became necessary for me to deal with his financial affairs I just took over the running of his account. It was easy to do and the fact that I had been a joint account holder for quite a few years before there was need for me to take any action made the transition easier for him.

barak

Dora_the_Explorer wrote:

Power of Attorney has to be done whilst your mum can still understand what it means, however it doesn't come into operation once it's registered as you and she can agree what will trigger it, for instance on the advice of her doctor who will be able to judge very well if your mother is capable of managing her own affairs. This means that if she's capable right up to the day she dies it will never come into operation.

You don't have to wait until somebody is incapable before using an 'unrestricted' Enduring Power of Attorney - i.e. one that allows you deal with all their affairs. With their permission, you can deal with all sorts of matters for them while they are are away on holiday, for instance. It's useful to have several certified copies, as although banks and others usually return the copy you send to them if you ask them to, some are always kept. I had an EPOA for my late mother for over twenty years, which was useful when she was away visiting my sister in Canada. I now have one for that sister so that I can deal with her affairs in the UK.
Of course, you must be careful who you appoint as your Attorney!

nightsong

Things may have changed over the last few years, but about six years ago I took on power of attorney for my father. I went to the Citizen's Advice Bureau for, er, advice ... they were very helpful and we did it all without needing a solicitor so there were no cost involved in that way. HTH someone.

Oh yes, and I lived at least 100 miles away from him, so wasn't able to keep popping in to see him - a neighbour who he trusted used to forward his bills to me and I paid them that way.

margaretclare

Bossyboots wrote:

My mum is 69 but does have some difficulty with literacy and numeracy. Also, while my dad was alive he handled all the finances so she did not have to worry about itI have had to teach her to write a cheque which she will now do, but only with me to supervise. She is doing well though. I am trying to teach her what to do, rather than taking over and she has surprised herself with what she has learned. She did not resist the idea of her pension being paid into her bank although she took some convincing not to withdraw the whole amount in one go.

The main thing at the moment that we can't get across to her is paying her TV licence by direct debit, she still insists on buying stamps. However, all her other bills are paid DD so thats one less thing to worry about. She stills pays for her shopping in cash as well.

Hi Bossyboots

We were discussing this a few weeks ago, and just this week I've been made aware that it still happens. I was in hospital for 10 days up to a week ago today (Thursday) and am now at home recuperating in the excellent care of my darling B. Monday morning he decided to pop out to our local small bakery to get a nice freshly-baked loaf for our breakfast (we're lucky to have a local baker's shop - use it or lose it!) And while he was there he noticed about 30 people all queuing up outside the Post Office waiting for it to open at 9 am. All ages, a lot of older people, some on Zimmer frames, but some mums with toddlers in push-chairs. It was a fine bright morning after a frosty night, oh so cold, streets not yet aired, and we both said we couldn't understand the desperate need to be there the moment the PO opened. There are 2 bank ATMs in the little town square, anyone can get money 24/7, why does it have to be got exactly at 9 am? He went down later to post a parcel because I'd sold a book via Amazon, and the PO was empty then.

Before going for this recent major surgery this month, one of the things which caused me great reassurance and was a very comforting thought was the fact that all my affairs are in order, my Will recently re-done showing my funeral wishes clearly set-out, all our household bills were going out as scheduled and like clockwork, and I could relax - just concentrate on getting in there, getting through it and then home. Some of the women around me were stressing about not being able to get out to do Christmas shopping, one said she'd had to prepare Christmas dinner as much as possible 'so that her husband could just cook it' - she'd even prepared a pan of brussels sprouts ready to cook (what would they be like, 3 weeks ahead!!)

By contrast, I didn't have a worry in the world - apart, of course, from very severe orthopaedic surgery, which has turned out very well, thank God!

Aunty Margaret

Norman-B

Thank you all for this info.
My step-dad is 81 and is in a day centre getting over a broken hip. I pay all his bills and he settles up with me monthly with a cheque from his B/soc savings acc. He won't have a current acc or cheque book. Now he wants me to take over all his financial affairs and be a joint acc holder on his B/soc acc. The B/soc want me to obtain POA first! Is that correct?
He has signed forms for me to apply for POA but I'm unsure what to do next.
Any help welcomed.

ps, his daughter is not willing to get involved with running his affairs.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

This is the government website http://www.guardianship.gov.uk/theservice/enduringpower.htm#
which contains all the information you will need. Both the Age Concern and Alzheimers Society websites contain information on EPA as well.

margaretclare

Norman-B wrote:

Thank you all for this info.
My step-dad is 81 and is in a day centre getting over a broken hip. I pay all his bills and he settles up with me monthly with a cheque from his B/soc savings acc. He won't have a current acc or cheque book. Now he wants me to take over all his financial affairs and be a joint acc holder on his B/soc acc. The B/soc want me to obtain POA first! Is that correct?
He has signed forms for me to apply for POA but I'm unsure what to do next.
Any help welcomed.

I'm a bit confused about this. Your step-dad settles up with you monthly with a cheque from his building society account but he won't have a current account or cheque-book - but if he settles up with you monthly with a cheque then where does he get the cheque from if not from a cheque-book? Many building societies have current accounts and cheque-books, have done for ages?

His building society may be the kind which can do direct debits, and all his bills could be paid via his BS account. Is his BS account where he receives his pension payments into?

Life is so much easier once you get all these type of facilities set up, they run like clockwork causing no worry at all, and I am staggered by the number of people who like to do everything the most difficult way possible.

Aunty Margaret

Norman-B

margaretclare wrote:

I'm a bit confused about this. Your step-dad settles up with you monthly with a cheque from his building society account but he won't have a current account or cheque-book - but if he settles up with you monthly with a cheque then where does he get the cheque from if not from a cheque-book? Many building societies have current accounts and cheque-books, have done for ages?

His building society may be the kind which can do direct debits, and all his bills could be paid via his BS account. Is his BS account where he receives his pension payments into?

Life is so much easier once you get all these type of facilities set up, they run like clockwork causing no worry at all, and I am staggered by the number of people who like to do everything the most difficult way possible.

Aunty Margaret

Aunty Margaret,

He has a Savings account. He draws a cheque from there. He won't have a current acc and the B/soc won't do DD from a Savings acc.

Thanks for replying.

Bossyboots

Norman-B wrote:

Thank you all for this info.
My step-dad is 81 and is in a day centre getting over a broken hip. I pay all his bills and he settles up with me monthly with a cheque from his B/soc savings acc. He won't have a current acc or cheque book. Now he wants me to take over all his financial affairs and be a joint acc holder on his B/soc acc. The B/soc want me to obtain POA first! Is that correct?
He has signed forms for me to apply for POA but I'm unsure what to do next.
Any help welcomed.

ps, his daughter is not willing to get involved with running his affairs.

I am not sure how your family dynamics works but can I just offer a word of (hopefully unnecessary) caution.

Do you have proof that you have been paying the bills yourself on his behalf? I know someone who was doing what you were doing and when his father died, the other son claimed he had put duress on the father to give him money. The gentleman that had paid the bills left the documentation at the father's home which mysteriously disappeared. He had paid by cash so could not prove he had actually paid the bills and the money was in repayment. There was no mention of these issues before the father died. It was only afterwards that the other son started trying to claim a larger share of the estate on the basis that his brother had already received a substantial share of father's money. Up until then, the brother had been quite content to allow things to go on as they were.

It did get sorted out in the end after a long drawn out and very costly Court battle.

Norman-B

Thanks for the note of caution! I have all his invoices sent to my home and all are paid from my acc by DD, so I have a record.
Thanks.
N