Who Are We?: Lasting Powers Of Attorney Explained: Where Is Wendy Williams?
Who Are We?
Hi my name is Sonny Ullah and I am the director of Phoenix Estate Planning. The company was formed out of my personal experience of dealing with the fallout of my father's Estate. My father was diagnosed with dementia in 2015, being old school and lacking knowledge of such documents, he had no Will or Lasting Powers of Attorney in place, so the courts appointed a deputy (Attorney).
The court appointed deputy had never met my father and had no empathy or understanding of his wishes and preferences.
The deputy failed to consider any feedback from family regarding my father’s wishes, or our wishes for him.
My father’s assets and lifetime work were valued at over £2.5m, but the deputy sold them for less than £850,000.
I raised my concerns to the relevant authorities and continue to work to refute this mismanagement.
This experience inspired me to take my Society of Will Writers exam in 2020 to help other families avoid the agony and frustration of a similar experience. It was a major but fulfilling career change. In the 4 years since, we have helped 1000s of families across England to stay in control and keep it in the family.
Our mission - to educate and empower families so that they can make informed decisions.
Our mantra - keep it simple and jargon free.
Lasting Powers Of Attorney Explained
There are 2 types of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs), and you should appoint both:
Property and Finance LPA: This appoints someone you trust to manage your finances and make financial decisions on your behalf. This ensures your household bills are paid, medical expenses are covered, and that your money and property are managed as you wish.
Health & Welfare LPA: This appoints someone you trust to make all medical decisions on your behalf, and the little decisions too. Where you live, who you live with, what medical facilities you go to, what you wear, your social activities, and much more.
You can name as many Attorneys as you wish. We recommend a maximum of 4. Instructions and guidance can also be written within either LPA. Instructions are legally binding and must be strictly adhered to by the Attorneys, whereas, guidance is such, guiding your Attorneys.
Without the relevant LPAs in place, a court-appointed deputy (Attorney) will be assigned. Many families assume the next of kin will be assigned as Attorneys, but this is not the case. Should you lose capacity or become unabled due to an accident, your family can apply to be your Attorney via the Court Of Protection (COP), but it costs around £2,500 and time scales are 9 to 12 months—with no guarantee you’ll succeed. In the meantime, you’re met with heartbreak, frustration, and decisions that can’t be undone.
For a couple of hundred pounds, is it really worth putting your family through heartbreak?
Where Is Wendy Williams?
In 2017, the former talk show host and author, Wendy Williams, fainted on her show from dehydration. Williams was often in the news for the next few years because of her health issues including thyroid problems and vertigo.
Due to her various health issues, in 2022 Williams's bank, Wells Fargo, froze her accounts and requested a court hearing to determine whether she was in need of a guardianship (equivalent to an Attorney). She disputed the allegations but the judge appointed Sabrina Morrissey as a guardian.
Even with a sincere, loving, and supportive family, the guardian made all health and financial decisions for Wendy—leaving her family in the dark. For approximately 1 year, the guardian did not allow the family to see Wendy, refused to disclose what care facility she was living in, and they could only talk to Wendy when Wendy called them. They weren’t even allowed to celebrate Wendy’s 60th birthday with her.
Wendy’s family was finally informed that Wendy was diagnosed with Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in 2023. A documentary chronicling Williams's life since 2022, Where is Wendy Williams?, aired on American TV in February 2024.
The legal battle continues behind the scenes, but Wendy was recently spotted in New York with her son. In addition to her health, Wendy’s net worth is estimated at around $20 million.
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