Scope of Authority
An attorney-in-fact (Meyupeh Koach) appointed under an Israeli Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can be granted authority over three main domains: financial and property matters, personal and lifestyle matters, and healthcare decisions. The scope of each domain is defined in the LPA document and may be broad or specifically limited.
Financial and Property Powers
In the financial domain, the attorney-in-fact may: manage bank accounts, pay bills and expenses, collect income, manage investments, buy or sell property (subject to any restrictions in the LPA), operate a business, and take tax actions on behalf of the grantor. These are sweeping powers — which is why robust safeguards are essential.
Personal and Healthcare Powers
In the personal domain, the attorney-in-fact can make decisions about where the grantor lives, their daily routine, and social activities. In the healthcare domain, they can consent to medical procedures, choose treatment providers, and make end-of-life decisions — unless the grantor has specified otherwise in the LPA or in a separate Advance Directive document.
Can an attorney-in-fact sell my apartment under an Israeli lasting power of attorney?
Only if the LPA explicitly grants this power. Israeli law requires that authority to sell real estate be specifically stated in the LPA — a general grant of financial authority is not sufficient for a property sale. The LPA must specify the property or the class of assets that may be sold. This is a common drafting mistake — LPAs prepared without specialist legal advice sometimes fail to include the specific authorisation needed for real estate transactions.
