Lasting power of attorney — a guide for families

A lasting power of attorney (ייפוי כוח מתמשך, yipui koach matmish) is a legal document in which a person decides in advance who will make decisions on their behalf, and how, if and when they can no longer make those decisions themselves. In this guide we explain the process and point to the official sources — we do not provide legal advice and we do not recommend a particular lawyer. The process itself must be carried out with the authorised bodies.

Why it matters to draw one up in good time

This is the most important point: a lasting power of attorney can be drawn up only while the person still understands its meaning — that is, while they are still competent. If the ability to understand has already been impaired (for example in advanced dementia, or after a stroke if it affected the ability to understand), it may already be too late — and then the usual route is a court process to appoint a guardian, in which the person does not choose who will handle their affairs.

So this is an early step: it is best to draw it up while the parent is still independent, not at the moment of crisis.

Who can draw one up

Any person aged 18 or over who understands the meaning of the power of attorney and its consequences. The person drawing it up (the principal) chooses the attorney themselves — usually a close family member they trust.

What it can include

A lasting power of attorney can apply to three areas, all or some of them:

• Property matters — managing a bank account, payments, assets;
• Personal matters — daily routine, residence, day-to-day wellbeing;
• Medical matters — decisions regarding medical care.

The principal can also set advance directives — how they wish certain matters to be decided.

How it is drawn up and deposited

1. Drawing it up with an authorised lawyer. The power of attorney must be drawn up on dedicated forms and signed before a lawyer who has undergone special training from the Ministry of Justice and has no personal interest in the document.
2. Depositing it with the Administrator General. After signing, the document is deposited (usually online) with the Administrator General at the Ministry of Justice. The service standard for processing a deposit is 21 working days from the moment the Administrator General receives all the required documents.
3. Kept until needed. The document is stored and does not take effect immediately — only when the conditions set out in it are met.

When it takes effect

The power of attorney takes effect only when the conditions the principal set are met — usually when it is determined, on the basis of a professional opinion, that the person is no longer competent to make decisions on the matter. Processing a request to bring a lasting power of attorney into effect takes about 3 working days from the moment all the required documents are received by the Administrator General.

The link to elderly care and the move to a setting

When a parent's condition deteriorates — dementia, hospitalisation, functional decline — urgent decisions arise: managing money, signing commitments, choosing a setting. Without a lasting power of attorney, if the parent is no longer competent, the family is forced to turn to the court to appoint a guardian — at exactly the most stressful time. A lasting power of attorney drawn up in advance spares the family that. If you are at the start of the path, see also the scenarios when your parent can no longer manage at home and dementia.

Official sources

• Lasting power of attorney — the topic page on the Administrator General's site (Ministry of Justice)
• Drawing up and depositing a lasting power of attorney (official service)
• Lasting power of attorney — Kol Zchut

For questions, you can contact the Ministry of Justice service centre for lasting power of attorney.