Managing matters with a continuing power of attorney

After the power of attorney has been validated, you must prepare an inventory of the granter’s assets and debts for the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The inventory must be prepared within three months of the validation. For instructions on preparing the property inventory, see the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.Opens in a new window.

Keep a record of the granter's assets and debts and transactions carried out during each accounting period. Keep all bank statements and other receipts. Keep the granter’s assets separated from your own assets. 

When contacting the authorities and other parties to manage the granter’s affairs, you must show them the validation decision of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the continuing power of attorney document attached to it. 

For example, banks, Kela and the Finnish Tax Administration can check from the Population Information System that the validation is in effect. However, they cannot view the contents of the power of attorney. 

Different authorities and other actors have different instructions on how a continuing power of attorney can be used in their services. For this reason, you should always check with the parties in question how best to use the power of attorney in their services. 

There are matters that you cannot manage with a continuing power of attorney. For example, you cannot donate the granter's property unless the granter has specifically authorised this in the power of attorney. 

If the continuing power of attorney was issued before 1 May 2026, you may not sell or otherwise transfer, mortgage or pledge real estate unless it is specifically mentioned in the continuing power of attorney. In continuing powers of attorney signed on or after 1 May 2026, such matters related to real estate do not need to be mentioned separately. 

There may also be situations in which you are disqualified from acting on behalf of the granter. In this case, you cannot represent the granter in the matter, and the granter needs a non-disqualified attorney to address it. If, for example, you and the granter are shareholders of the same estate, you cannot represent yourself and the granter at the same time. 

Read more about impartiality on the website of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.Opens in a new window.

You have the right to receive a reasonable compensation for serving as the attorney. The granter may have determined the compensation in the power of attorney document. The compensation is paid from the granter’s funds. 

Information on the taxation of the compensation can be found on the Finnish Tax Administration's website.Opens in a new window.

The validation of the continuing power of attorney does not remove the granter's right to manage their financial affairs with, for example, the bank. If the granter uses money carelessly despite the validation of the continuing power of attorney, you can submit a notification of a person in need of guardianship. 

Read more about guardianship and the notificationOpens in a new window.