Edison, NJ asked in Estate Planning and Family Law for New Jersey

Q: I asked my Grandma for help with a rehab program that costs $30k - she told me to ask the Power of Attorney.

Can my Grandma make the decision on her own? Can the Power of Attorney make the decision on her own? The Power of Attorney told me that she has to ask my mother, who is scheduled to receive an inheritance (and said no). Are they all playing me? Who has the real power to re-allocate the funds?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Richard Diamond
Richard Diamond
Answered
  • Short Hills, NJ
  • Licensed in New Jersey

A: Im going to give you fatherly advice since the question has nothing to do with the law - a primary reason your grandmother gave someone power of attorney over her assets was to protect her from making decisions based purely on emotion. 30,000 is an extraordinary amount of money to ask anyone for and instead of saying no, she gave you the opportunity to speak with the person who holds the power of attorney over her money to decide whether to pay or contribute to the cost of the treatment program. My suggestion is that if you want your family to make an investment in your treatment/recovery, you need to sit down with the power of attorney and calmly and maturely explain your recovery plan and your plan after leaving the treatment program to stay healthy.

Maybe presented in that way, they will be willing to invest money in you.

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