PERSONAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Power of Attorney
By signing a power of attorney, you give another person the authority to manage your financial and legal matters. This can be very helpful in situations where you are not in a position or no longer able to make those decisions. For example, you can appoint a trusted person to handle your real estate purchase if you need to travel abroad around the completion date, or you can appoint a family member to handle your finances if you become mentally incapacitated.
A power of attorney can be general, specific, enduring, springing, or a combination thereof. At Champlain Notary Public, we will discuss with you in details, put ourselves in your shoes and make sure your Power of Attorney will cover your need.
Representation Agreement
While a power of attorney covers your financial and legal affairs, a representation agreement allows you to appoint a representative to make personal and healthcare decisions on your behalf. Such decisions range from a decision of where you should live to a decision to receive or withhold consent for a specific medical treatment or even life support.
There are two types of representation agreement. A standard section 7 representation agreement deals with routine management of your financial affairs, personal care and some healthcare decisions, but it does not authorize your representative to refuse life support or life prolonging medical interventions.
An enhanced section 9 representation agreement gives your representative comprehensive powers to make decisions on your behalf, including accepting or refusing life support and life prolonging medical interventions. However, your representative cannot make decisions on financial matters. Which representative agreement is more suitable depends on your specific situation and we are here to provide professional advice to help you with the process.
Advance Directive
An advance directive allows you to set out your instructions to your health care providers as to your end-of-life care. It spells out what kind of medical treatment you accept or refuse, including life support and life prolonging medical interventions. Your advance directive must be followed as long as it addresses the healthcare treatment you need at the time.