If I;m my father’s POA, am I legally responsible to pay his pre-existing bills?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

If I;m my father’s POA, am I legally responsible to pay his pre-existing bills?

My father is on Medicaid and is in a nursing home. He has to pay all his income but $50 for his care.

Asked on April 10, 2012 under Bankruptcy Law, West Virginia

Answers:

M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

Having a POA is a fiduciary duty or responsibility to act on his behalf.  That does not make you persoanlly responsibe for his debt.  But you need to manage his debt responsibly.  Acting in bad faith could cause personal liability.  But you are not causing the situation or refusing to pay bills.  Ther eis simply not enough to pay.  So you may want to look in to filing for bankruptcy for your Dad.  Good luck.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption