Today I shall be Mainly...

[LizG]

We learnt the need for that by experience with Mrs Tiz's parents. They planned ahead and got LPA (or EPA as it was then) for each other and also appointed Mrs Tiz to have it for both of them. As it turned out, both parents changed suddenly and simultaneously in about 2010 and therefore couldn't act for each other. Having appointed Mrs Tiz in advance made it much easier to sort out their affairs.

Stanley, are you sure the LPA for care is enough? The financial LPA is for more than just access to your bank account. I think Susan might need it for dealing with suppliers for power, water etc, anything involving money.

I agree wholeheartedly Tiz. We had the same experience 18 months ago and there was no POA, my Dad said he had it all sorted when we raised it. We had to go to court to for an order to be able to manage Mum's affairs. The rules are incredibly strict compared to a POA. I have to submit a financial plan and then report against that plan every year. It takes about 5 hours to prepare and requires a scanned copy of every invoice, and receipt over $1,000, every bank account statement et al, to be sent with the report. If the ins and outs don't balance within a very tight margin they send a 'do it again' or a 'please explain'. We pay a substantial fee to submit the report, and then we get an invoice from the State Trustees when they audit it.

[Stanley]

Thanks for the comments about the finance LPA. Funnily enough my mind has been working on those lines as I have been reading up and thinking about it. I realised that while I had the money sorted for the funeral etc there was the matter of the utilities etc. I was intending to use a private consultant but am now thinking that it may be better to use my solicitor and do both powers and register both of them. All right it will cost a bit more that way but could be the most sensible course in the end. There is the added advantage that they are only 200 yards away! They also hold my original will of course.
There is also the fact that Steele and Son have been my solicitors for 60 years and have never let me down..... I shall have another word with them this morning and get a ball park figure for doing both LPA (Financial and Care) and registering them so that everything is in place. If I do that and at the same time make Susan a co-signer on my bank account, these measures plus the Living Will already in place with my GP should ensure that I have done all that is possible and I can sleep easy at night.
If there are any more suggestions, please fire them at me......

[Marilyn]

Our Gran trusted Steele and Son's too.
All I can say Stanley...is we had to wait YEARS for things to be settled...YEARS! (17/18 years).this was despite her will being explicitly clear and precise.
And they don't like answering question...
So good luck there!

[Tizer]

Stanley, I'll ask Mrs Tiz and my cousin (who is doing LPAs for her mother) about the benefit versus cost of using a solicitor. We did my dad's without any help but it was the EPA, not LPA. I think the LPA is more complicated but I'm not sure how much so. My cousin will be doing LPAs.

[Stanley]

Tiz, they are more complicated and the balance of the advice I have had so far is to go with professional help. The maximum cost for doing both including registration is £895. Expensive but a worth while expenditure I think. Not something where you want a cock-up. Marilyn's evidence and the stories I have read on Family Matters convince me this is one example of a time when you have to bite the bullet!



I blackleaded and polished the stove and apart from waiting for the new grate it is ready for winter! I want to see Kev's after he has finished his......

[Sue]

Off on a boat trip round the Isles off La Rochelle,it includes Fort Boyard that was on a TV game show.

[Stanley]

Lovely! Sounds like a good trip as long as sea conditions are good. I envy you!

[Big Kev]

Tiz, they are more complicated and the balance of the advice I have had so far is to go with professional help. The maximum cost for doing both including registration is £895. Expensive but a worth while expenditure I think. Not something where you want a cock-up. Marilyn's evidence and the stories I have read on Family Matters convince me this is one example of a time when you have to bite the bullet!



I blackleaded and polished the stove and apart from waiting for the new grate it is ready for winter! I want to see Kev's after he has finished his......

It is on my list, off on our holidays today so will be away for a few weeks somewhere warm.

[Cathy]

Stanley make sure your appointed company has as many details as possible about your inherits (inheriters -?).
It was as if Steele and Son did nothing to try and find us as we each turned 18. Even when our elder sister repeatedly contacted them, it was like pulling teeth. I was 35yrs old before I inherited my share.

[PanBiker]

I was just thinking Stanley, will you not need some kind of facilitator to dispose of your extensive collection of specialist equipment?

[Tizer]

Cathy, I think Stanley's talking about Power of Attorney rather than a will. I assume he already has a will.

Ian, if he's anything like Mrs Tiz's dad he'll donate it all to his daughters!

[Stanley]

See THIS for the website of the lady I have chosen to be my guide. She did Susan and Mick's LPA and you can see she is fully accredited. She comes next Monday to start the process. Yes, I have a Will in place and the kids know they have the problem of the clutter! I also have a living Will/Advance Directive in place and lodged with my GP who certified my competence. I also have a Literary Executor on tap to assist the kids with the books, there are some quite valuable ones. The cost of the service from Janet Geldard includes registration.
It will cost the thick end of £800 but in terms of peace of mind and bearing in mind the horror stories we have seen in Family Matters, I shall rest easy knowing that I have done everything possible to smooth the path for my daughters who are joint executors. Incidentally, all this is being done in full consultation with them and they will eventually get copies of the LPA. There is only one more element to put in place, to give Susan power over my bank account. I shall take advice from Janet Geldard before doing this.
It's expensive and depends on good relations with my daughters who are forced to face the reality that I will eventually die. I'd like to think we are all a good example of what can and should be done to ease the process of me shuffling off the coil!

[David Whipp]

Off to meeting at Preston this morning, but then it's more Beach set up for me - with a gentle Bloom meeting for relaxation this evening.

[Tizer]

...smooth the path for my daughters who are joint executors.

In terms of the LPA, are they acting jointly or jointly and severally? You may already know all about the differences but I've added the following in case others reading this are not familiar with it.

There's an important difference - if it's only jointly then they all have to agree before any action can be taken and that can be inconvenient and also lead to disagreements. It also creates a problem if any one of the attorneys drops out, dies, loses capacity etc because the LPA is then terminated. If jointly and severally then any one can act independently and the LPA isn't terminated if any one drops out etc. The Law Society advises:

* joint attorneys must all act together and not separately
* the LPA will terminate if any one of the attorneys disclaims, dies, becomes bankrupt (bankruptcy only applies to property and financial affairs LPAs), or lacks capacity unless the LPA specifically states otherwise it will also terminate with the dissolution or annulment of the marriage or civil partnership between the donor and the attorney, and
* joint appointments may provide a safeguard against possible abuse, since each attorney will be able to oversee the actions of the other(s).

* joint and several attorneys can all act together but can also act independently if they wish, and
* the LPA will not be automatically terminated by the disclaimer, death, bankruptcy, dissolution/annulment of marriage/civil partnership (between the donor and attorney), or incapacity of one attorney. In these circumstances the LPA would continue and the remaining attorney(s) can continue to act.

* attorneys can be appointed under an LPA to act jointly in respect of some matters and jointly and severally in respect of others.
LINK

[Marilyn]

Gosh...a veritable minefield....for those wishing "simplicity" and "direction" with their affairs.
( honestly...what can you do?)
We were told that even if the papers were folded the wrong way, there could be problems...

[Stanley]

Tiz, that's why I am paying a qualified consultant..... Apart from anything else the rules can change.... You're right too Maz, when you start to look into it it's a minefield, that's why it takes some estates so long to be settled. All we can do is our best to make things easier for those who have the job of sorting things out. We start on Monday!
I banged on at the congregation yesterday about the necessity for inspecting drains to make sure they were clean and clear. So I thought I'd better practice what I was preaching.



Both the sink drain and the washing machine drain were clean and running freely. Good management and maintenance works!

I heard a sound the other day while I was watching TV which I knew was something very hard breaking under strain but couldn't find what it was. The light fell at a different angle on the stove door glass yesterday....



It must have reached its sell-by date and failed of its own volition. I never touched it or the door in the stove cleaning. As it happens, in return for welding his stove, Kev got a new glass for me. I have another little maintenance job to do now!

[Sue]

Back at the house after a few days break in La Rochelle. It was a good break and very interesting. Today I shall change the bedding and clear the washing and hopefully the last of the overgrown veggie patches. The house needs a sweep through after having all windows and doors open before we went away. It's a dull heavy cloudy day. The sun breaks through every now and again but it is a pleasant 22 degrees

[Marilyn]

I'm afraid I would have to have that front glass sparkling clean. Something is not burning properly for all that blackness to happen. You must have to open the door to see what is going on in there...

[Stanley]

I used to do just that Maz but after a while decided it was a waste of my time. I don't need to open the door as I always use the same fuel and only fire it once a day and riddle it twice. It's never been a problem....
Not sure yet what I'll be doing, I have all my ducks in a row for Monday and the LPA consultant. The stove is complete except for the grate which is a five minute job when it arrives. It's butcher's day and I am always busy on a Friday. We'll see what happens.....



It's clean now! And I have ordered a spare.....

[David Whipp]

More Beach for me...

Sand arrives today (20 ton). Our usual man and machine (small bobcat type loading shovel) isn't available due to breakdown, so we're anxiously seeking someone else who can machine the sand into the beach area.

The alternative is handballing... fortunately, West Craven Warriors rugby team are offering help, so it may be a good training opportunity for them!

[Sue]

Still doing that veggie patch...the end is in sight . Bob is finishing the pizza oven. He roofed it yesterday so he just has to extend the chimney , add a few bricks to the walls and hey we are ready. Visitors start arriving on Thursday , and then almost continuously until sept 7 th. Friends and family, sometimes overlapping. Looking forward to it

[Marilyn]

We have had a busy time with visitors lately, Sue.
We love them all, but it gets very wearing, and we are happy to wave folk off.
We are shutting the doors this week and putting chairs under the door knobs...hibernating...spending the week in slippers and track pants...hair only combed on the front bits that one can see in the mirror without twisting and turning. Time out!
Time to put our feet up on the coffee table and watch TV.

[PanBiker]

Already been delivered of two grandchildren. Their mum, my daughter and husband have sloped off to the Radio 2 "Carfest North" and are camping over the weekend with friends. My lad has been roped in to house and dog sitting for them over in Silsden. I will be loading the kids into the car this afternoon to go and collect Sally and our Ruby who are on their way up from Stratford. Tomorrow will see us on our way to a cottage in Whitby with all three grandchildren. Mid week we will be meeting up with my nephew Matt and his wife Ruth and their new baby who are over from Australia. Carla and Jack will be joining us for the family meet up as well. It's a bit like a family stir up.

[Sue]

Sounds good Ian. We have Julia, Ed and the two girls Eve and Briony for 3 days on their way to camping in the Vendee. They arrive Thursday, leave Sunday. On Monday Bobs cousin Pam arrives for a week, then Julia and family return for 5 days overlapping with Pam for a day. We all return to England on 18 th for the family wedding in Cardiff. Then it's back to UK home to drop off wedding gear, load the car again and bring our friends suitcase over back to France. Wendy and Keith will join us for the first week in September. Then two days to tidy up and it's back home . We hope to visit my brother in Bulgaria in early October, and a couple more visits here before Christmas.

[Sue]

Woke up in agony with my back. Managed to get down stairs for pain killers and now I am stuck in a chair, 4.00 in the morning unable to move.