Powers of Attorney

In New South Wales a Power of Attorney is used to appoint someone legally to make financial decisions on your behalf such as selling your house or operating your bank accounts.

Alternatively, if you wish to appoint someone to make health and living arrangement decisions then you would appoint an Enduring Guardian.

Any person over the age of 18 years who has the capacity to understand the nature and consequences of the documents can make such an appointment.

The decision must be made of their own free will and the set of decision parameters  be set out in the document.

Powers of Attorney and Enduring Guardianships are most important for older people who are concerned about how their lives shall be managed in the event that they lose capacity to make decisions such as when they suffer as stroke or experience Alzheimers disease.

In such circumstances it is important to make an enduring appointment which shall continue if the donor suffers a loss of capacity.

If you do not provide for this possibility you may leave your family / partner in a nightmare situation!