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LASTING WISHES
Will Writing & Estate Planning Legal Services
Free Home Appointments
Lasting Wishes Ltd provides professional Will Writing and Estate Planning services across Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and surrounding areas. With our Head Office in Milton Keynes and an additional office in Hemel Hempstead, we provide a comprehensive range of services including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Protective Property Trust Wills, Discretionary Trusts, Vulnerable Persons' Trusts, Probate and Estate Administration.
We offer free home consultations across our service areas, including Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, Luton, High Wycombe, Slough, Reading and surrounding towns, alongside telephone and online appointments where appropriate.
As proud members of The Society of Will Writers, we are committed to providing professional, straightforward and affordable estate planning advice, helping our clients put the right protection in place for themselves, their families and their future.
Lasting Power of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more trusted people, known as attorneys, to make decisions on your behalf or support you with making decisions if needed.
Putting a Lasting Power of Attorney in place allows you to choose whom you trust to act for you should you become unable to make certain decisions yourself in the future due to illness, an accident or loss of mental capacity.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is separate from your Will. While your Will sets out your wishes after your death, an LPA is designed to protect and support you during your lifetime. Many people therefore choose to put both in place as part of their wider estate and future planning.
There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney: Property and Financial Affairs LPA and Health and Welfare LPA.
Property and Financial Affairs LPA
A Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney allows your chosen attorney or attorneys to make decisions about your money, finances and property.
This can include managing bank or building society accounts, paying bills, collecting pensions or benefits, managing investments and, where appropriate, buying or selling property on your behalf.
Unlike a Health and Welfare LPA, a Property and Financial Affairs LPA can also be used while you still have mental capacity, if you choose to allow this, once the LPA has been registered. This can be particularly helpful if illness, mobility difficulties or other circumstances make it difficult for you to manage your financial affairs yourself.
A Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney allows your chosen attorney or attorneys to make decisions about your health, care and personal welfare if you become unable to make those decisions yourself.
This can include decisions about where you live, your day-to-day care, medical treatment and the support you receive.
You can also choose whether your attorneys should have authority to make decisions about life-sustaining treatment if you are unable to make those decisions yourself.
Health & Welfare LPA
FAQ
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Would we still need a Lasting Power of Attorney if we were married or lived together?
Yes. Being married, in a civil partnership or living together does not automatically give your partner the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity. A Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to choose whom you trust to make certain decisions for you. -
What happens if we don't set it up and one of us becomes unable to make decisions?
If you lose mental capacity without a valid Lasting Power of Attorney in place, your partner or family may not automatically have the legal authority to manage certain financial affairs or make particular decisions on your behalf. Depending on the circumstances, an application to the Court of Protection may be required, which can involve additional time, expense and ongoing responsibilities. -
Can we have more than one attorney and include our children as attorneys?
Yes. You can appoint more than one attorney, including your spouse or partner, adult children, other relatives or trusted friends, provided they meet the legal requirements to act as an attorney. Where more than one attorney is appointed, you can specify how you would like them to make decisions on your behalf.
