Tax Questions & Alzheimer’s Patients
February 26, 2009 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Tax time is here, so there often are questions about preparing taxes returns for Alzheimer’s patients. Some have very simple reports while other may be involved in a business.
Kathy has a question about signatures and wonders if her elderly brother, who has Alzheimer’s, can use his signature from last year on his tax returns. “He does NOT like to sign his name anymore, because he gets confused,” Kathy said.
I’m not a tax expert and only have the knowledge about what I did when filing personal and business returns for my mom when she could no longer sign her name. I had power of attorney for her, so could sign the paperwork.
However, her accountant did her tax returns and her attorney, who was knowledgeable about taxes, also advised us. I probably had to include a copy of the power of attorney with the tax returns so the IRS knew it was legal for me to sign. I usually had to do this with banks, doctors, pharmacy, nursing home, hospital, etc.
The requirements may vary from state to state, as well. So consult someone knowledgeable about taxes.
Does anyone else have their experience to relate?
