# How much should i pay my neighbor to be my power of attorney for health



## zalmanitzka (Jun 24, 2018)

Please help me I have no idea what on average people usually pay for power of attorney for health.
What should i pay my neighbor to be my power of attorney for health ?


----------



## StarSong (Jun 24, 2018)

I'd say zero.  If you're close enough to ask this person to make those decisions, you're close enough for him/her to consider it a mitzvah.


----------



## zalmanitzka (Jun 24, 2018)

_*Yes thank you, but its more of a mitzvah to help my condo neighbor 
because she is a poor woman with 3 small children and she could use the gelt .*_


----------



## StarSong (Jun 24, 2018)

zalmanitzka said:


> _*Yes thank you, but its more of a mitzvah to help my condo neighbor
> because she is a poor woman with 3 small children and she could use the gelt .*_





zalmanitzka said:


> Please help me I have no idea what on average people usually pay for power of attorney for health.
> What should i pay my neighbor to be my power of attorney for health ?



You asked what people usually pay for power of attorney for health.  When it is a friend or relative, the answer is zero.  They do it as a favor.  However, since you think it would be a kindness to pay this neighbor you could investigate what local lawyers charge for assuming this responsibility and take it from there.


----------



## Giantsfan1954 (Jun 24, 2018)

Be very careful!
That gives this person control of all your finances and possibly your home.
Not pointing any fingers at someone I don't know but I'd be especially cautious about someone who isn't in great shape financially. 
Maybe have more than 1 person,do you have an attorney that you trust to be secondary?


----------



## Olivia (Jun 24, 2018)

If it wasn't a close relative, I would choose a lawyer and pay the going rate. I'm not sure I would trust a neighbor. They could move.


----------



## Butterfly (Jun 24, 2018)

Giantsfan1954 said:


> Be very careful!
> That gives this person control of all your finances and possibly your home.
> Not pointing any fingers at someone I don't know but I'd be especially cautious about someone who isn't in great shape financially.
> Maybe have more than 1 person,do you have an attorney that you trust to be secondary?



If what the poster is talking about is a health care POA, it only gives him power to make health decisions for a person if they cannot do so themselves.  A healthcare POA gives* NO* power over anything else than that one thing -- to make a decision for health care *ONLY*  in a situation where you are unconscious, brain dead, or somehow incapacitated so you cannot tell doctors to do.  

To have power over money, houses, etc. you  must have a general, durable power of attorney, which is a horse of a whole 'nother color.


----------



## Butterfly (Jun 24, 2018)

StarSong said:


> I'd say zero.  If you're close enough to ask this person to make those decisions, you're close enough for him/her to consider it a mitzvah.



I strongly agree with this!  And of course the person you appoint to make health care decisions via a healthcare POA does* ABSOLUTELY NOTHING* unless you find yourself unable or incapable of making your own decisions.

My only caveat on selecting a person to do this is to be sure they know how you would wish your care to be handled (i.e., pull the plug or not, etc.) and will be willing and able to abide by your previously stated wishes.


----------



## Keesha (Jun 24, 2018)

Butterfly said:


> If what the poster is talking about is a health care POA, it only gives him power to make health decisions for a person if they cannot do so themselves.  A healthcare POA gives* NO* power over anything else than that one thing -- to make a decision for health care *ONLY*  in a situation where you are unconscious, brain dead, or somehow incapacitated so you cannot tell doctors to do.
> 
> To have power over money, houses, etc. you  must have a general, durable power of attorney, which is a horse of a whole 'nother color.


This was my understanding also. The OP specifically stated POA for health only.


----------



## terry123 (Jun 24, 2018)

Keesha said:


> This was my understanding also. The OP specifically stated POA for health only.


That is correct. I would want a family member to make that decision and not a neighbor.


----------



## bingo (Jun 24, 2018)

if you want to help this person...allow that in your last will and testament. ..for medical decisions all you need is a living will


----------



## zalmanitzka (Jun 25, 2018)

*Yes Keesh your correct POA health is the way you discribed it*



Keesha said:


> This was my understanding also. The OP specifically stated POA for health only.


"Yes Keesha your correct POA health is the way you discribed it only if i am unable to make my own decisions (unconcious) not finances
so inhave a DNR and i would intsruct POA heath no breathing machine or feeding tube , only relative live 3000 miles away
so my neighbor who is in same condo complex and on the same floor as me, i think i will ask her
Yes i understand to put it in my trust fund with my lawyer- 
I think the suggestion on of you nice people that i inquier on the internet 
and see  what lawyers charge for that service is a great idea ,i am going to look it up now 
Anyway i would love it somebody could please give me some  sort of dollar amount about what her compenstion should be 
I am thinking $500 to $1,000.00 is that too generous or too cheap ?
Thank all you all you  nice a carring people for reaching out  to help me its greatly appreciated :love_heart: Love you all


----------



## JimW (Jun 25, 2018)

Olivia said:


> If it wasn't a close relative, I would choose a lawyer and pay the going rate. I'm not sure I would trust a neighbor. They could move.



I agree with Olivia. Anything could happen with this neighbor, they could move or you could have a falling out. If you're going to pay someone for this service, I'd make it an attorney. If you insist on choosing your neighbor for this, then I agree with Starsong, find out what the going rate would be for a local attorney and use that as your reference point.


----------



## Butterfly (Jun 25, 2018)

zalmanitzka said:


> "Yes Keesha your correct POA health is the way you discribed it only if i am unable to make my own decisions (unconcious) not finances
> so inhave a DNR and i would intsruct POA heath no breathing machine or feeding tube , only relative live 3000 miles away
> so my neighbor who is in same condo complex and on the same floor as me, i think i will ask her
> Yes i understand to put it in my trust fund with my lawyer-
> ...



I would simply ask her if she would do it as a favor.  As I said, the appointee in a HCPOA is not expected to DO ANYTHING unless you become totally incapacitated.  When I was working in a law office we did about a zillion of these, and no one ever paid anyone to be their appointee, and I don't know anyone who would expect to be paid to do 
this.  I would not accept money to do this, and I think it's inappropriate to do so.

Now, if you were asking her to be your appointee under a durable general power of attorney, my answer might be different because then she might have to do actual ongoing work.  But for a HCPOA, no.


----------



## OneEyedDiva (Jul 1, 2018)

Giantsfan1954 said:


> Be very careful!
> That gives this person control of all your finances and possibly your home.
> Not pointing any fingers at someone I don't know but I'd be especially cautious about someone who isn't in great shape financially.
> Maybe have more than 1 person,do you have an attorney that you trust to be secondary?


I agree with Butterfly. It seems Z, the poster is only talking about a healthcare POA, also called an advanced directive or living will. This is drawn up separatly from a POA for financial matters.


----------

