Am I too young to need a Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA)?
Written by Amy Douch | Wills, Trusts, Tax and Probate team |6 July 2023
With the shocking news that Fiona Phillips at the age of 62 has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, a question that I am asked often in my job is when is a good time to be thinking about Lasting Powers of Attorney?
The short answer is as soon as possible!
An LPA is a legal document that allows you to appoint people you trust to act for you when needed in relation to your property and financial affairs and health and welfare matters.
Sadly, we are not able to look into a crystal ball to see what the future holds for us. None of us know what is around the corner and without taking steps to plan ahead, you could be left vulnerable when it comes to your property and financial affairs and health and welfare matters.
The only requirement age wise when it comes to Lasting Powers of Attorney is that you must be 18 years old. You must also have capacity at the time of making the document. That’s it.
As we have seen in the media and through our own personal life experiences Dementia and Alzheimer’s are not just illnesses for “later in life”.
Mental Health is a crisis that we are all facing, and it has become prevalent amongst young adults. Depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are all examples of long-term mental health problems that can be suffered by people of all ages from all walks of life.
The impact of these illnesses on a person’s life can be destroying.
The impact on your family and loved ones can be equally as devastating.
Who is going to pay your bills if you are unable to do so yourself?
Who is going to run your finances whilst you are poorly?
No one. Unless you have LPA’s in place.
Managing finances is difficult at the best of times, but if your mental health is poor, it is nearly impossible. Having an LPA in place allows you to have peace of mind knowing you have someone you trust ready and able to step in and assist you when needed. When you are better, you can of course take complete control again.
We all think it will never happen to us … until it does and it’s too late to do anything about it.
If you would like some help putting these documents in place, please get in touch. Please give us a call on 01752 827067 or email lpa@nash.co.uk and we’ll chat you through the various options on how to proceed.
Speak with our Wills, Trusts, tax and Probate team
Our Wills, Trusts, Tax and Probate team are all highly experienced, qualified and extremely knowledgeable. Client service is extremely important to us here at Nash & Co Solicitors, and we’ll always explain the process, ensuring you understand everything, before progressing.
Give the team a call on 01752 827076 or you can also ask us to give you a call by filling in the Call Back Request Form on our Contact page.
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