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各位老友記,有否想過為癡呆症(即腦退化症),事先做好財務、心理和法律上等各方面的安排?這一節「長者法網智多聲」,就為大家介紹其中一種幫到您們的工具,那就是長者三寶的其中一寶——持久授權書。

持久授權書與一般授權書的最大分別是,持久授權書在授權人喪失精神行為能力後,仍然會有效,而一般授權書就會失效。任何人在精神上有能力行事時訂立了持久授權書,如果日後變得精神上無行為能力,獲委任的人就可以為他打理財務。我們叫給予權力的人作授權人,而獲得權力的就是代理人。

持久授權書只可以授權代理人打理財產和財務問題,亦必須要採用法例訂明的表格,否則就會無效。授權人要在持久授權書內,明確地指明代理人有權處理哪些具體的資產或財務事項,不可以籠統地表示「處理我所有財產」。聽起來好像很難,但法定表格有格子讓您剔,可以幫助您作出選擇。授權人亦可以限制代理人的權力和選擇持久授權書何時生效。授權人可以委任多於一名代理人,好等他們互相幫助或監察對方。

決定了細節和填好表格後,授權人必須要在一名註冊醫生和一名香港律師面前,簽署持久授權書。註冊醫生要核證和信納授權人在精神上有能力行事;律師也要核證授權人看來在精神上有能力行事。至於代理人就要在見證人在場之下,簽署持久授權書。

簽署持久授權書可有助您未雨綢繆,不用擔心有如簽了賣身契一樣,一世被綑綁。授權人只要精神上仍然有行為能力,就可以隨時撤銷持久授權書,如果授權人一度變得精神上無能力行事,康復後,亦可以向法院申請撤銷持久授權。

法例規定,持久授權書要在法院完成註冊,才是完成所有法例規定的程序,否則代理人不可以處理授權人的資產。所以,當授權人變得精神上無能力行事時,而較早前還未將持久授權書拿到法院註冊,代理人就要盡快行事了。

要留意了,無論是代理人、見證簽名的註冊醫生、律師或見證人,並不是任何人都可以擔任的,而填寫持久授權書期間,也有很多東西需要留意,填錯了,持久授權書就會無效的了。詳情可以參考長者社區法網文字版或諮詢律師。

最後為大家說個故事吧。陳伯最近常常忘記事情,說話不清不楚,陳太於是想安排丈夫弄一份持久授權書。但律師說,持久授權書一定要在授權人精神健全時訂立的,建議他們不如先問問醫生。結果,幾位醫生都診斷陳伯患了癡呆症,亦即腦退化症,精神上已經沒有行為能力。陳伯不能訂立持久授權書,陳太就頭痛了。因為家裡大部份資產,好像是銀行帳戶和股票等,都是陳伯個人名下持有,沒有持久授權書,陳太就不能動這些資產,她只能夠用夫婦聯名戶口的存款和自己的「私己錢」來應付陳伯的醫療費及養家。陳太還要擔心,她那個不務正業的不肖子會趁陳伯有病,帶他到銀行提取所有存款。結果陳太要趕緊找律師,向法庭申請處理陳伯的財產,多花費金錢之餘還要擔心好一陣子。大家想想,假如陳伯早些訂立持久授權書,陳太是否不用為錢憂心呢?這一節就說到這裡,多謝大家收聽。

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Registration of the EPA

Enduring Power of Attorney

To further safeguard a donor’s interest, the Enduring Powers of Attorney Ordinance (Cap.501 of the Laws of Hong Kong) prescribes:

  • under section 4(2): “If the attorney has reason to believe that the donor is or is becoming mentally incapable he must, as soon as practicable, apply under section 9 for registration of the instrument creating the power.” 
  • under section 4(3): “In the event of the subsequent mental incapacity of the donor, the attorney shall not do anything under the authority of the power unless or until it is registered.

An attorney would therefore be effectively barred from dealing with the donor’s assets before the registration process is completed. The registration system is administered by the Registrar of the High Court of Hong Kong. The system will ensure that a register of every EPA in force will be kept with the Court, which in turn will allow any person to inspect any EPA and thus be able to monitor an attorney’s activity.

One should also note: while the law provides that an attorney must apply for the registration of the EPA upon the donor becoming mentally incapable, it does not mean that the attorney or the donor cannot register the EPA before the onset of the donor’s mental incapacity. In other words, the donor can apply for the registration of the EPA soon after executing an EPA, that is, while he/she is still mentally sound. This would have the benefit of ensuring the registration when the donor is still in control of the matter. Besides, the attorney can start administering the donor’s assets soon after the donor’s mental incapacity without having to apply for registration and to wait for its completion.