An enduring power of attorney lets you decide who should handle your affairs if you later become unable to understand and make decisions about the relevant matter, and what instructions they should follow. These decisions concern everyday life: where you would like to live, how your care will be funded and how your property and financial commitments will be managed.
Adv. Asaf Arazi-Biton starts by understanding your family, assets and the people you trust. That understanding shapes instructions for your circumstances, whether they involve personal care, a rental property, a family business or responsibility for a relative. The aim is to give the people acting for you clear guidance that respects your wishes and the limits imposed by law.
A rental property involves recurring decisions: collecting rent, paying expenses and arranging repairs. Consider who will handle them, who can access the necessary information and whether the income is needed for your living or care costs. Selling the property raises different questions; authority to manage it should not be assumed to permit a sale without further procedures.
For a family business, the review considers who holds essential information, who can sign and what happens if the owner can no longer make decisions. Where the business operates through a company, its corporate documents and management arrangements also matter. A personal appointment as attorney does not automatically make someone a company director or authorised signatory.
The number of assets, business ownership and their complexity determine the scope of planning. Where several properties, partners or family roles are involved, a full family wealth and intergenerational planning process is recommended according to the circumstances, coordinating the enduring power of attorney with the will and existing business arrangements.
The discussion begins with what you want to preserve: your lifestyle, home, support for people close to you and the way your assets are managed. Accounts, rights, obligations and existing documents are reviewed alongside those wishes. This helps identify situations that need specific instructions, so the people acting for you have guidance when decisions arise.
Trust and family relationships are a starting point. Availability, decision-making skills and willingness to take on the role also matter. If several people are appointed, the planning addresses when they act together or separately, who can replace someone unable to act and how information should be shared. Requiring joint approval for every small expense may complicate daily care, while major decisions may call for greater oversight.
The lawyer turns your choices into instructions that can be understood and applied, explaining where express authority or further approval is required by law. The review also covers activation conditions and consistency with other documents. If a property-rights issue, shareholders’ agreement or tax question needs separate attention, the additional work and appropriate professional involvement are identified.
The wording and its implications are reviewed before signing, so that you and your appointed representatives understand the arrangements. The deposit with the Administrator General is then completed. Deposit and activation are separate stages; the people appointed should understand what to do when the activation conditions are met.
A preliminary list is enough to begin. Note your main assets and obligations, the people you are considering appointing and the questions that concern you. Mention any existing will, financial agreement, earlier power of attorney or family business documents. You do not need to settle every decision before the meeting.
Property owners may also find our guide to enduring powers of attorney for property owners useful when identifying matters to discuss.
No. The arrangements should reflect your wishes and needs. One or several representatives, divided responsibilities and a replacement appointment can be considered, subject to legal eligibility requirements. Each choice should be assessed for its practical effect on decisions and family relationships.
Generally, activation requires the specified conditions and the applicable procedure. Property matters can also be subject to an arrangement for earlier authority under the relevant legal rules. The document should therefore make clear when each authority begins; signing and deposit alone do not answer that question.
No. An enduring power of attorney concerns the management of your affairs during your lifetime; a will gives instructions for distributing your estate after death. They should be considered together, particularly where one asset provides a family home, income or business premises.
Children can help arrange a meeting and gather information, but the choices belong to the parent. The parent must understand the document’s meaning, purposes and consequences and sign voluntarily. Age or a medical diagnosis alone does not replace an individual assessment of the relevant understanding.
For the legal framework, read our guide to an enduring power of attorney in Israel. For questions about timing, see when to start planning.
To discuss the decisions that matter for your family, contact the office.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, a legal opinion, or a substitute for individual advice from an attorney. Each case should be reviewed according to its specific circumstances, and it is recommended to consult an attorney before making any decision or taking action.
