Coulson Elder Law is now Dent-Coulson Elder Law
Learn More

Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney | Dent Coulson Elder Law

Get Help Right Away

Call Today: 618-632-7000 or 217-330-5500

or Send us an email

  • Home
  • Our Services
    • Alzheimer’s Planning
    • Asset Preservation Planning
    • Estate Planning
    • Medicaid Eligibility
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust and Estate Administration
    • VA Benefits Planning
  • News & Videos
    • Video Series
      • Coronavirus Preparedness
      • Asset Preservation Planning
      • Common Estate Planning Mistakes
      • Dealing With Alzheimer’s
      • Financial Exploitation of Elders
      • Handling Difficult Conversations with Seniors
      • Married Couples and Medicaid
      • Medicaid Application Process
      • Medicaid Look-Back Rule and Transfer Penalties
      • Nursing Home Admission and Care
      • Veterans Pension Benefits
      • What You Can and Can’t Keep with Medicaid
    • Weekly Newsletter
    • The Elder Law Minute
  • Alzheimer’s Guide
  • Presentations
    • Health Care Power of Attorney
    • Free Workshops
  • Hear From Our Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Share Your Experience
  • About
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Partners & Resources
    • About Our Fees
    • COVID-19 Policies
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Email Us
    • Find Our Offices
    • Refer a Friend

Is adding someone’s name to your accounts an okay substitute for a Power of Attorney for Property?

There is a common misconception that adding someone’s name to your accounts provides similar benefits that a Power of Attorney for Property does. Plain and simple, it does not and is not an okay substitute. A Power of Attorney for Property will provide more powers and may even, as you will see in this video, protect your money from a financial burden that isn’t your own.

In this Elder Law Minute video, Wes Coulson, Illinois Elder Law attorney, explains the benefits of having a Power of Attorney for Property in place and why it is a better option than simply adding someone’s name to your accounts.

Is adding someone’s name to your accounts an okay substitute for a Power of Attorney for Property?

Transcript:

Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. One of the wrong things that I hear a lot, that kind of drives me a little bit batty, is people will say, “Well, I don’t need to have a power of attorney for property, I’ve got my daughter’s name on all of my bank accounts.” Well, that may sound good at first, but let’s talk about what happens at the point where you are incapacitated.

First, let’s talk about, you know people say, “Well, my daughter could pay the bills.” Yes, but what if you get a bill in for $1,000 and it’s really only supposed to be for $100. If your daughter calls to complain, they don’t have to talk to her unless she has power of attorney. She could write the check for $1,000, but she can’t argue whether that’s the correct amount of the check.

If anything happens bad financially to your daughter and her name is on the accounts with yours, all that money is up for grabs. You could lose everything in the accounts, in your accounts, because they’re her accounts to pay her bills.

If anything needs to be done with real estate, unless you’ve put her name on the real estate, which could be a bad mistake, she can’t do anything.

And I’ll guarantee you if you have any IRAs, you can’t put your daughter’s name on the IRAs. The “I” in IRA stands for individual and doesn’t mean you and your daughter.

So, for a lot of reasons, please don’t do that. You need to have power of attorney for property in place. Thanks.

For more about Powers of Attorney, visit these articles:

  • Common Estate Planning Mistake #9: Failing to name enough successor agents under a Power of Attorney for Property
  • Common Estate Planning Mistake #7: Failing to include enough powers in a Power of Attorney for Property
  • Why a Healthcare Power of Attorney is Better than a Living Will
  • The $20,000 Power of Attorney

“Your Trusted Advisor on the Elder Care Journey”

Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

Veterans Benefits O'Fallon ILFor Immediate Help

If you or a loved one needs immediate help with a planning matter or legal issue, please contact us, and we will get back to you promptly.

Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Call Us
618-632-7000
217-330-5500
314-567-9292

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Join us for a FREE Workshop

 

Free WorkshopsIf you have reached age 65, there's about a 45% chance that you will eventually need long-term care.

Join us for one of our highly informative and FREE workshops and find out how you can protect your family's hard-earned life savings.

Visit Free Workshops for more information.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our free weekly Newsletter and receive the latest news, updates and videos straight to your inbox!

Recent Posts

  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Motor Vehicles
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Personal Residence
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Household Goods & Personal Effects
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Life Estates
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Money & Other Assets Held in Trusts

More News & Videos

  • Alzheimer's Planning (85)
  • Asset Preservation Planning (150)
  • Coronavirus Preparedness Series (9)
  • Coulson Elder Law (11)
  • Elder Law Minute Video (385)
  • Estate Planning (132)
  • Health Care Planning/Medicare (79)
  • Medicaid Eligibility (141)
  • News & Videos (429)
  • Special Needs Planning (48)
  • Trust Administration (14)
  • Veterans Benefits (51)

774 Sunset Blvd Suite 200
O'Fallon, IL 62269
IL: (618) 632-7000
MO: (314) 567-9292

415 W. Virginia Ave.
Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 330-5500

Fax: (618) 632-7333
Send us an email

Front office building of Coulson Elder Law

Front office building of Coulson Elder Law

  • Directions to our office locations

774 Sunset Blvd Suite 200
O'Fallon, IL 62269
IL: (618) 632-7000
MO: (314) 567-9292

415 W. Virginia Ave.
Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 330-5500

Fax: (618) 632-7333
Send us an email

  • About Us
  • News and Videos
  • Weekly Newsletter
  • Brochures
  • Presentations
  • Hear From Our Clients
  • Partners & Resources
  • Legal Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Wesley J. Coulson | Dent Coulson Elder Law, LLC