“I am executing an Enduring Power of Attorney. Can my daughter who doesn’t live in Israel be appointed as an agent?”
Yes, but…. she will need to sign the POA in the presence of an Israeli lawyer. Until recently, this meant either signing the POA when the person was visiting Israel or finding an Israeli attorney in the person’s locale and signing in his or her presence. Someone living in a large city, say Los Angeles or New York, could usually find someone who fits the bill. But for someone living in a remote location, it was a logistic nightmare (not to mention – expensive). What’s more, all parties were obligated to sign the same hard copy – so the same papers had to travel from person to person, country to country, meaning it could take weeks for the POA to be fully executed.
The good news is that a new change to regulations for preparing Enduring Powers of Attorney (POAs) was just announced, making the process easier for anyone in Israel who has family members living abroad. It is now possible for the agents signing abroad to be identified by an Israeli lawyer via a video call (such as on Zoom or WhatsApp video), and they no longer need to sign the same hard copy.
These two seemingly small changes represent a big step towards making it easier for people to get their POA done, even if their children are abroad, giving more flexibility and options when it comes to making these important decisions.
Thanks to our expert Miriam Shatsky, Adv. & Notary. Miriam is a wills & estates lawyer with over 13 years of experience, whose practice focuses on helping people plan for aging. She is fluent in English and Hebrew, licensed to practice law in Israel, and certified to prepare Israel’s new Enduring Power of Attorney.