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Sadexecutor Asked February 2020

My sibling is mentally incompetent and has dual POA. Any suggestions?

My sibling is getting increasingly less mentally competent due to health issues. He was diagnosed with mental illness many years ago and takes medication but is also obese and an alcoholic. He can function as a full-time job but is making poor decisions about my mother's property and belongings since we moved her to assisted Living. We have dual POA so I cannot do anything without his okay. He wants to call the shots but the shots are not practical. Is there a way to prove him mentally incompetent? Or I do I just keep dealing with it?

TNtechie Mar 2020
Seriously doubt you are going to get anyone who "can function as a full-time job" declared incompetent. Making what you (and even most people) consider to be bad decisions is not a sign of incompetence either. Being drunk temporarily impairs competency, but not in the overall legal sense.

You would most likely do better challenging your brother's POA based on his willingness and/or availability to serve. He is unwilling and unavailable because he is either working or drinking and hung over during his free time.

gladimhere Mar 2020
Same question as Ann. Is it actually a POA that requires you both agree to get anything done? Or is one POA and the other successor? What does the POA state what happens if one of you develops health problems told becomes incapacitated?

Dual POA always a bad idea. No family is completely in agreement all the time. There are so many dysfunctional families of caregivers on this site we recognize what a nightmare this would be.

Is mom competent? If so, she can change the POA anytime she wants. Does mom recognize the problem? Or is she in agreement with what bro does?

Your profile says mom is 54 with Alzheimer's/dementia. Is that correct?

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AnnReid Mar 2020
Does your POA explicitly state that your decisions require the consent of both of you?
Can you consult the lawyer who drafted the POA to clarify the obligation(s) you have for one another.
Is he drinking now?

JoAnn29 Feb 2020
I would see the lawyer who wrote up the POA. I would say there needs to be a way because he is not competent. But then, how do you prove that?
AlvaDeer Feb 2020
Agree with JoAnn for sure.

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