Current: Take Control - a kit for making powers of attorney and guardianship (Tenth Edition)

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Powers of attorney

About this kit

Many people have a Will to let people know their wishes after they die, but what if you were faced with an accident or illness and were unable to make decisions for yourself? Have you given people the right legal authority to make decisions for you? As with a Will, you can make legal documents that allow decisions to be made that take into account your wishes. The difference is that these documents allow you to control who will make financial, medical and/or lifestyle decisions while you are still alive.

You can choose a person to act on your behalf to make these decisions. You can make:

a general power of attorney by appointing someone to make financial or legal decisions for you, usually for a specific period of time, such as when you are away on holidays
an enduring power of attorney (financial) by appointing someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf, such as signing a legal document, selling property or doing your banking, if you are unable to make these decisions some time in the future
an enduring power of attorney (medical treatment) by appointing someone to make medical decisions on your behalf, such as agreeing to or refusing surgery, if you are unable to make these decisions some time in the future
an enduring power of guardianship by appointing someone to make daytoday lifestyle decisions on your behalf, such as where you live and health care issues, if you are unable to make these decisions some time in the future.

An attorney does not have to be a lawyer. It can be anyone you trust to make decisions on your behalf, like a family member or friend.

We recommend that everyone over 18 years of age consider making these arrangements.

Read this kit carefully. It will help you work through the issues so you can put the arrangements in place that are best for you. Take your time. Think about what decisions you want to be made for you and who is the best person to make them. When you are ready, there are forms at the back of this kit that you can fill in to make your arrangements legal.

The information in Take control is not intended to be a replacement for legal advice.

Although you do not need a lawyer to make a power of attorney or guardianship, get legal advice if you are unsure about your rights and responsibilities. There is a list of places you can go for further information at the back of the kit.

The forms found within the Take Control publication are also available here as separate pdfs

General Power of Attorney Form