Why you must communicate with your family when making a power of attorney

The principal benefit of a power of attorney is ensuring that someone you trust is in a position to make decisions about your health, welfare and finances should the day come that you are unable to make these decisions yourself. It stands to reason that open communication with your family is of paramount importance when you are in the process of setting up a power of attorney. Let’s have a look at the benefits of communication during this process.

Ensure nominees understand the implications

Being given a power of attorney is a significant responsibility. It’s possible that the nominee doesn’t have a full understanding of what is involved. This is a binding legal document, according to GOV.UK. Communicating openly – with the help of a solicitor if you wish – ensures that they understand when a power of attorney comes into play, what their role would be and why you have chosen to appoint them to this important role.

It is easy to complete a power of attorney in a solicitor’s office, or you can set up a power of attorney online thanks to specialists such as https://powerofattorneyonline.co.uk.

Make your choices clear

It’s important to be honest with your family when expressing your wishes. Anyone that you give a power of attorney to must have a good idea of how you would want them to act to honour your wishes. You need to be clear about anything you’d want to avoid and things you would potentially be open to, such as live-in carers or residing in a care home. You can further reduce any ambiguity in the future by writing down any preferences following the discussion.

You may want to discuss potential scenarios of when the power of attorney would come into play – for example, should you struggle with your memory and understanding. It’s normal to feel a little uncomfortable about discussing ageing and illness, but greater transparency and open communication ensure everyone involved has a good grasp of each other’s feelings.