Elderly relative sign a power of attorney? Watch out!

Posted by: Apr 23, 2015By Brian Stutheit

Stutheit & Gartland has a client whose elderly mother lives in a retirement community.  Our client just discovered that Mom gave a power of attorney to a neighbor.  This “kindly” neighbor volunteered to help Mom with her finances.  Now the neighbor has recorded a beneficiary deed, using his power of attorney, which gives him Mom’s home when she dies.  Thank goodness this was discovered while Mom was still alive.  This will make it much easier to revoke what the neighbor did.  It will also give the District Attorney someone to talk to about how this happened.  The lesson is that you should know what your elders are doing.  Powers of attorney are often abused, even by kindly neighbors.