What if, some time soon, you are unable to make your own decisions?

With a healthcare power of attorney you are anticipating a scenario where you would no longer be able to manage your assets yourself due to illness, accident or old age. You appoint one or more people in advance who can act on your behalf if necessary. They can be natural persons - a family member, a good friend or even your lawyer - but may also be, for example, a private foundation. You are strongly recommended to provide a "fallback" for those holding a power of attorney. This helps to prevent the arrangement from falling through if the first person you appoint predeceases you or becomes incapacitated themselves.

The healthcare power of attorney offers some important benefits:

• As long as you are able, you retain absolute control over your assets
• You choose who manages your assets instead of a judge appointing an administrator.
• The power of attorney can also be used as a planning tool. For example, you define the conditions under which a gift or sale may take place.
• Since 2019, it has also been possible to include personal decisions in the healthcare power of attorney, such as what care you want or which care home you want to live in.
• By recording everything clearly, you avoid your loved ones having to make difficult decisions later and prevent arguments.

It is important to draw up the healthcare power of attorney correctly. For example, certain acts, such as real estate transactions, require a notarised power of attorney. Get legal guidance on drawing up the power of attorney. Only then can you be sure that it will be implemented in practice exactly how you wanted.

Would you like to know what a healthcare power of attorney could do for you?