A POA enables someone you choose to be able to make decisions for you – when you cannot.
If you make it on MyScottishAttorney, you have the reassurance of knowing that the document has been styled by me, a qualified Solicitor. I have doing this online for 20+ years and in my office for over 30.
A POA is like insurance. We don’t want to pay that but we do because, should something bad happen, then it is in place.
Unlike Insurance, though, a POA does have the advantage that you only have to pay once!
And in a way, it is file and forget because, once it is done, you do not need to look at it again for a good while.
Another great aspect of a POA is that your loved ones won’t have to worry.
The problem for them would be that, if you do not have a POA, the only alternative for them is applying to a court for a Guardianship of you. That is a horribly expensive and a very long winded process.
A typical misconception is that a POA is only for the elderly. It isn’t and that is because we have no idea what is ahead of us.
That’s not a very pleasant idea either but, unfortunately, accidents and illnesses, which can incapacitate you, can happen.
If you are young and/or middle-aged your initial thought might be that it is not for you because you have little in the way of funds and property but that’s not the case. The money can be unimportant – a POA is there to ensure that you are looked after and everything is done, in time and properly, when you cannot do it, yourself, anymore.
You can also make it for your parents if they are not so good with a computer. Just write it up as if you were them.
Without a POA, if something were to happen, and an application needs to be made to the court for Guardianship. Nothing will be done quickly whereas, if you have a POA. someone can jump in straight away, exhibit the POA and take charge.
While solicitors’ fees will vary, MyScottishAttorney does everything to prepare the POA for you for £99.
No one can avoid the fact that it requires to be registered to be effective. The Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), which is a government body, is currently charging £83.
MyScottishAttorney provides information on how to sign and register.
As soon as you pay, everything you need is emailed to you. You do not have to see a solicitor!
You will have to see a doctor to have the provided certificate signed off. This certificate says that you are of sound mind! Sometimes doctors charge, sometimes they don’t. Check first.
If you think that’s not going to be possible, please note that arrangements can now be made for signing Powers of Attorney (PoA) by video conference and that is mentioned on the website.
All in all, doing this online at home with MyScottishAttorney will be take a great deal less time and money than seeing a solicitor and going to appointments with a Solicitor of which there will not be, at least, two. That is time and money.
And, of course, you may also wish to make a Will. Doing so on MyScottishWill only costs £49 and you do not need to see anybody apart from a witness who can be anybody over 16.
There is lots of free information on my websites, which are
www.myscottishattorney.co.uk and www.myscottishwill.co.uk
Bruce de Wert, Solicitor.
Managing Director of Confidential Legal Services Direct Ltd
