Preservation | Family Wealth Protection & Planning

As one gets older and less able – or even willing – to deal with financial responsibilities, it is common to turn to others to help take care of your finances. The most comprehensive tool to use in such a case would be a financial durable power of attorney, in which you, as principal, name someone as your agent to handle financial and legal affairs on your behalf. Another commonly used method is naming an adult child as a co-owner or a co-signer on a bank account. A co-owner has full access to the account and will legally own the proceeds of the account after the other account owner’s death. A co-signer simply has authority to write checks and draw on the account.