LPA refers to the legal term ‘Lasting Power of Attorney’. This essentially means that you allow someone to handle your affairs if you become unable to do so yourself.
This should be someone you not only trust to make educated decisions, but someone you trust to honour your wishes, the wishes you made when you were still capable of understanding your choices and the consequences they may have.
Deciding to make lasting powers of attorney and putting the motion in place to begin this can be a very stressful time. It’s often overwhelming for many people which is why it’s important to familiarise yourself with the legal terms you will most likely come across. Understanding these terms may ease the stress when you find yourself in unfamiliar environments, which is why we’ve provided an easy guide to the terms you need to know.
Definitions Of The Legal Terms
Donor: The Person Making The LPA
Attorney: A person the donor appoints to make decisions on their behalf. An attorney could be a family member, a friend or a professional person such as a solicitor or an accountant.
Witness: Someone over the age of 18 who watches the donor or the attorney(s) signing the LPA.
Mental capacity: The ability to make and understand decisions that may affect yourself and others. If you are unable to do this safely or comprehend them, this is referred to as lacking capacity.
Jointly: when appointing multiple attorneys, this is the term used to refer to having to make decisions together and with all attorneys unanimously agreeing.
Jointly and severally: where multiple attorneys can make decisions separately without having to agree unanimously.
To understand more about arranging your Lasting Power of Attorney you could explore the insightful guide available on the Bowsers Solicitors website.
At Bowsers Solicitors, we can provide you with any legal help you may need regarding lasting powers of attorney. Our friendly, professional team are committed to helping you make this process as straightforward as possible.
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