Q. My lifelong friend, Peter, has an aunt who was never married and never had children of her own. Peter was the closest family member she had, but she was not a very trusting person, and didn't trust Peter or anyone, especially when it came to money. When she was beginning to experience memory loss, Peter, who has had
his estate planning and incapacity planning documents in place since he was 45, suggested to her that she get hers done, but she refused. She put him off until it was too late.
After his aunt developed Alzheimer’s, Peter found it difficult to pay her bills because he could not access her money. He
was also faced with medical decisions that needed to be made, but he didn't have the authority to make them.
Peter wants me to do a Power of Attorney to make things a lot less difficult for my loved ones. I'm convinced for the most part, but wary because of things I've heard and read about Powers of Attorneys not being
accepted at some banks, among other things. I have also seen do-it-yourself kits you can buy online where you can put together your documents for a lot cheaper than you can with an experienced attorney.
What are some of the common concerns you hear about Powers of Attorney from your clients, and what do you tell them to ease their minds? Would a legal website be good enough for for my initial documents since I am only 43, and can have them looked at by an attorney later? Thanks for your help!
