Emergency planning

A sudden or age-related illness or an accident can not only lead to major changes in personal lifestyles. Illness and accidents can mean that people can no longer take care of their personal (legal) matters themselves and they become reliant on the assistance of others.

In such situations, close relatives, spouses or partners cannot automatically act on behalf of the person affected and make decisions. It is therefore advisable to make provision for such cases. Above all, doing so avoids a potential situation where strangers are making decisions about your well-being in future.

The notary public prepares powers of attorney and other and other arrangements as contingencies for these emergencies that meet the needs of the individual case. This ensures that the pronounced powers of attorney and other arrangements will also apply in case of need. In essence, the following powers of attorney and arrangements are available:

• General power of attorney,
• Medical power of attorney,
• Limited power of attorney and
• Patient decree.

The power of attorney certificates are registered in the Central Register of Powers of Attorney (ZVR) at the Federal Council of Notaries in Berlin so that should the occasion arise they can be found and respected: Today, the Central Register of Powers of Attorney (ZVR) is now consulted more than 20,000 times a month by guardianship courts from all over Germany. More than 1.1 million power of attorney certificates are already registered there.

For more information, click here:

• Glossary from the Federal Council of Notaries about the medical power of attorney and patient decrees
• Flyer from the Federal Council of Notaries about the Central Register for Powers of Attorney (ZVR)
• Explanatory leaflet from the Federal Council of Notaries about the  ZVR CARD