Introduction to Power of Attorney Collection

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Power of Attorney Collection brings together two titles from People's Law School on powers of attorney in British Columbia:

• Power of Attorney explains how an adult can make a power of attorney to give someone the legal power to take care of financial and legal matters for them. It explains the types of power of attorney, how to make a power of attorney, and how to end a power of attorney.
• Managing Someone Else's Money is a guide for the attorney appointed under a power of attorney. It explains the attorney's duties and responsibilities, offers tips to avoid problems, and provides tools to stay organized.

The information in this collection applies in British Columbia, Canada.

Copyright & Disclaimer

Power of Attorney Collection © People’s Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.

At People's Law School, we believe accurate, plain English information can help people take action to work out their legal problems. This publication explains in a general way the law that applies in British Columbia, Canada. It is not intended as legal advice. For help with a specific legal problem, contact a legal professional. Some sources of legal help are highlighted in the "Where to Get Help" sections.

The cases we refer to are not always real but show a typical situation. We have included them to help you think about how to deal with your own situation.

Acknowledgements

Writers & Reviewers

The information in the Power of Attorney Collection has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy by legal professionals.

Kevin Smith Kevin Smith, Barrister & Solicitor

Kevin Smith is a retired lawyer, having worked for several years with Seniors First BC (formerly BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support) in Vancouver. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, he has an LLM in Elder Law from the Center for Excellence in Elder Law at Stetson University. Prior to joining Seniors First BC, he worked as a legal aid lawyer in Ontario for 30 years, including as the Clinic Director of Parkdale Community Legal Services, a community clinic associated with Osgoode. His work with Seniors First BC focused on elder abuse matters including financial abuse and financial exploitation, capacity issues, issues in seniors housing and residential care, and pension appeals.

Drew Jackson Drew Jackson, People's Law School www.peopleslawschool.ca

Drew Jackson is a lawyer and librarian in Vancouver, BC. He is passionate about making legal information more accessible and understandable. In various roles he has developed legal publications and programs for the public and the legal community. While working with Courthouse Libraries BC, he led the creation of Clicklaw Wikibooks. He works as Digital & Content Lead with People's Law School and on freelance projects that help people understand the law, such as Transitioning an Existing Society: A How-to Guide for Non-profits in BC and the consumer and debt section of Legal Help for British Columbians.

Other Contributors

Also reviewing content were Hassan El Masri and Joan Letendre, notaries public practicing in British Columbia. Writing and layout support was provided by Gayla Reid and Elena Renderos.

This publication was made possible through the financial support of the Law Foundation of BC, the Notary Foundation of BC, the Department of Justice Canada, and the Province of British Columbia.

About People's Law School

People's Law School is a non-profit society in British Columbia, dedicated to making the law accessible to everyone. We provide free education and information to help people effectively deal with the legal problems of daily life. Visit us online at www.peopleslawschool.ca.