Lasting Power of Attorney and Living Will

A lasting power of attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht), living will (Patientenverfügung) and care directive (Betreuungsverfügung) help to ensure that your wishes are respected when you are no longer able to act on your own behalf due to illness, accident or old age. Timely planning gives you and your loved ones peace of mind.

Lasting Power of Attorney

With a lasting power of attorney, you appoint a person you trust to represent you in legal, financial and personal matters when you are no longer able to do so yourself. Without a lasting power of attorney, the guardianship court must appoint a guardian – even spouses and children are not automatically authorised to act on your behalf.

A notarial lasting power of attorney has particular advantages: it is generally accepted without further ado by banks, public authorities and Land Registry offices, and also enables real estate transactions and shareholders' resolutions to be carried out in the name of the principal.

Living Will

In a living will, you set out which medical measures you wish to receive or refuse in certain situations – for example in the case of serious illness or at the end of life. A clearly formulated living will is binding on physicians and authorised representatives, and relieves your loved ones of difficult decisions.

Care Directive

If, despite a lasting power of attorney, court-appointed guardianship becomes necessary, you can use a care directive (Betreuungsverfügung) to express your wishes regarding the choice of guardian and the conduct of guardianship. The court takes these wishes into account in its decision.

Registration with the Central Register

The notary arranges for the registration of your lasting power of attorney with the Central Register of Lasting Powers of Attorney (Zentrales Vorsorgeregister) maintained by the German Federal Chamber of Notaries. This enables the guardianship court to quickly determine in an emergency that a power of attorney exists, thereby avoiding the need to appoint a guardian.