Enduring Powers of Attorney

An enduring power of attorney is a legal document that enables you to appoint someone you trust to make property and financial decisions on your behalf. The benefit of an enduring power of attorney to an ordinary power of attorney is that it will continue to operate even if you lose legal capacity.

Some of the circumstances when you may wish another person to act on your behalf under an enduring power of attorney include:

• When you are overseas and you want someone to be able to sign a document on your behalf;
• You have been in an accident or are sick and unable to leave your bed to sign documents; and
• If you become mentally incapacitated by reason of age, disease, accident, etc.

If you lose legal capacity and you do not have an enduring power of attorney then there is no one authorised to handle your financial affairs. To obtain authority your family or friends will have to apply to the State Administrative Tribunal to be appointed your administrator