Power of attorney for elderly parents

Benefits, finances and funding
1

Hello again.

These are questions about power of attorney / protecting finances for elderly parents.

One has been formally assessed to no longer have mental capacity, the other does have capacity but is going downhill.

Apart from a couple of individual savings, most aspects of their life are in joint names (home / bank account / main savings, etc) - and this is now causing a headache in terms of trying to get their finances in order.

  1. Is it possible to secure Power of Attorney for just the one parent who does currently have capacity? If so, how would this work when most of their finances are in joint names? Would everything be split 50 / 50?

  2. I have heard about going down the route of Court of Protection for the parent who doesn’t have capacity. Can anyone share their experience of what this was like? I have heard it is a lengthy and costly process.

  3. Any other practical advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

2

Hi Michael.

My immediate reaction ?

EXPERT advice … and none better out there than AGE UK :

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/

Sure … we on the forum can provide chapter and verse but … to be really 100% watertight … and protect against
all possible challenges along the way … AGE UK !

( Treat it as a full m.o.t. … there will be other areas also to explore … even scenarios like care homes / wills / CHC etc. )

Interim issues … needs and carer assessments … upto date ? … care plan working ?