Management of Financial Affairs

A lot of clients believe that if they have a Will then their affairs are all in order, however this only deals with your affairs once you have passed away.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

In order for someone you trust to look after your property, financial affairs and health/welfare it is necessary to make Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs”), whilst you are still able to communicate your wishes.

Unfortunately not everyone has a trusted relative or friend who can act in the capacity of their Attorney and it is on those occasions when we can also offer our services as Lasting Powers of Attorney Solicitors by the appointment of a partner of the firm acting on your behalf. At the point of giving us instructions we would also take full details of your wishes so that, if you were incapacitated or could no longer manager your own affairs, you could rest assured that your specific wishes would be carried out and would always be in your best interests.

Sadly some people often leave making a LPA too late and have lost mental capacity to do so. If someone you know is at the point of being unable to make an LPA, due to disability, illness, accident or advancing years, then a deputyship application can be made to the Court of Protection to appoint a Deputy for that person. Again, if there is no family member or friend suitable to act then we are able to offer the services of our partners to be appointed in this role. At Ellis Jones we are able to assist in connection with
the general management of property and financial affairs ensuring that the client’s needs and wishes are always at the forefront.

Financial Affairs

Our experts at Ellis Jones can manage all of your financial affairs, from assisting in connection with the sale of your house to ensuring that the correct benefits are being applied for and that all your bills are kept up to date. This would include, where necessary, obtaining specialist advice in connection with any investment of assets to ensure that your quality of life would continue on the same basis as already in place. If there is something which is outside of our area of expertise then we ensure that the correct advice is obtained from another source.

The fact that the Office of the Public Guardian supervises and oversees Court of Protection Deputies ensures that all Deputies must complete an annual Deputy report and keep them informed of decisions made on behalf of the Client, particularly in relation to important decisions taken during the course of the year.

Our deputyship solicitors pride ourselves in dealing with our older generation who may not have their family close by and sometimes are in the unfortunate position of having no family members to assist them at all. We strive to assist our clients in a friendly and caring manner, listening to their concerns and endeavouring to assist.

In a recent review of the firm undertaken by the Office of the Public Guardian we were advised that we were effectively managing our Deputyships in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Professional Deputy Standards and were complimented on our security and compliance systems which are “strong and positive”.