Supervision of the donee’s activities
In the power of attorney document, the donor can issue more detailed orders on how the activities of the donee will be supervised. In addition, the donee will be obliged to report on their activities to the authorities.
Property inventory
Within a period of three months of a power of attorney being confirmed, the donee must submit to the Digital and Population Data Services Authority a property inventory on the donor’s property and debts that the power of attorney mandates the donee to manage. The donor cannot exempt the donee from the obligation to provide the guardianship authority with a property inventory. The property inventory will be drawn up on the basis of the situation at the time the power of attorney was confirmed. If the donor subsequently receives property for which the donee has the right to represent the donor (e.g. becomes a shareholder in the estate), the inventory on acquired property (e.g. estate deed) must be submitted within one month.
Property inventory (in Finnish) - assignor
Accountability
If the power of attorney concerns the representation of the donor in financial matters, the donee is obliged to keep a record of the donor’s assets and debts and the events of the financial year. However, the donee does not need to draw up a separate annual statement for the management of affairs to the authority, unless the donor has entered a requirement for this into the power of attorney.
If the power of attorney concerns the representation of the donor in non-financial matters, the donee is obliged to keep a record of the actions taken on behalf of the donor.
Duty to provide information to the guardianship authority
If the power of attorney concerns the representation of the donor in financial matters, the power of attorney may stipulate that the donee must regularly, but at most annually, submit a statement to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
Even if the power of attorney does not contain a stipulation to submit a statement, the guardianship authority may request the donee to submit a statement on the performance of their duties if there are grounds for doing so.
The donee is obligated to provide at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s request the aforementioned statement and other necessary information, receipts and documents concerning his or her task and present the securities under his or her management. Such a situation may arise, for example, when the bank has been contacted the guardianship authority and reported ambiguities in the management of the donor's affairs, or when a person close to the donor has informed the authority that the donee is performing his or her duties inappropriately. The mere fact that the donee does not provide next of kin with information on the management of the donor's affairs may not mean they have acted inappropriately in the performance of the duties. The donee is also bound by confidentiality.
Annual statement (in Finnish) - donor
Private supervision arrangements
The donor can also include requirements on private supervision arrangements in the power of attorney. For example, the donor may require that the donee is required to submit a statement periodically to a person close to the donor or to a private auditing office. The donor can stipulate in the power of attorney that the donee is obligated to show the donor’s bank statements regularly to someone close to the donor, e.g. their other children.
Frequently asked questions
A notification of the matter can be submitted to the guardianship authority, and the authority will investigate the matter.
If the donee dies, their duties end at the time of their death. The donee’s estate will submit a final statement and surrender the donor’s property to the donor themselves, a new donee or a guardian. A final statement does not need to be submitted if the power of attorney states that it is not required.
If the donee becomes permanently prevented from performing their duties due, for example, to an illness and there is no secondary assignee who would apply for confirmation, the guardianship authority can issue a notification of the need to appoint a guardian for the donor.
If you are the donee with power of attorney and the donor dies, your position expires on the date of the donor’s death. You must surrender the power of attorney document and the property you have managed to the stakeholders of the donor's estate without delay. You must also give the stakeholders of the estate a final statement on the performance of your duties, unless the power of attorney stipulates that no final statement needs to be given. The accounting period begins on the date power of attorney was confirmed and ends on the date of the donor’s death, unless otherwise stipulated in the power of attorney.
This is what to do
- When you step into your position as donee, prepare a property inventory of all the assets and debts that you are responsible for the management of. Submit the property inventory and its attachments to the guardianship authority within a period of three months.
Property inventory (in Finnish) - donor
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Store receipts carefully even when you do not need to submit a statement to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
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If the power of attorney concerns financial matters, and the power of attorney includes a stipulation for accountability. Complete the donee's annual statement.
Annual statement (in Finnish)- donor
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Even if the power of attorney does not contain a stipulation to submit a statement, the guardianship authority may obligate the donee to submit a statement on the performance of their duties if there are grounds for doing so.
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As the donee, you are obligated to provide the guardianship authority’s a statement and other necessary information, receipts and documents concerning your duties and to present the securities under your management. Only do so when requested.
Frequently asked questions about accountability and duty to provide information
Within a period of three months of a power of attorney being confirmed, the donee must submit to the guardianship authority a property inventory on the donor’s assets and debts that the power of attorney mandates the donee to manage. If the donor subsequently receives property, the inventory on acquired property must be submitted with a month of receiving the property.
If the donor becomes a stakeholder in an estate, the donee must submit the estate inventory deed to the guardianship authority within a month of the estate inventory being settled.
The guardianship authority always has the right to request clarification on how you have handled the donor’s affairs.
If the power of attorney concerns financial matters, the donee is obliged to save all the receipts, bank statements and documents related to the management of the donor’s property. It is necessary to make notes and save documents so that the donee can keep track when necessary of how the he or she has managed the assignor's property. The donee may also have to report on the management of the assignor's assets to the guardianship authority.
If the power of attorney concerns non-financial matters, the donee is obliged to save all the notes and documents related to these affairs, so the donee can, when necessary, provide a statement on the actions they have undertaken on behalf of the donor.
Check whether this is required in the power of attorney document, it may stipulate that it is necessary. In any case, save all receipts and documents, even if you are not required to submit an annual statement.
If the power of attorney concerns financial matters, the power of attorney can stipulate that the donee is obliged to submit a statement to the guardianship authority. Even if the power of attorney does not contain a stipulation to submit a statement, the authority may request the donee to submit a statement on the performance of their duties if there are grounds for doing so. The donee is obligated to provide to the authority at request a statement and other necessary information, receipts and documents concerning their duties and to present the securities under their management.
Once power of attorney has ceased to be valid, the donee must submit a final statement on the management of their duties to the party entitled to the donor’s property. A final statement does not need to be submitted if the power of attorney states that it is not required. A final statement is never submitted to the guardianship authority.
At the time, the donee submits the final statement, the donee must also surrender the power of attorney document and the property in their management to the donor or another party entitled to the property. Other persons entitled to possession of the property may include, for example, a guardian appointed to the donor, a secondary donee or a stakeholder in the donor's estate. The recipient of the final statement has the right to request to see the bank statements, receipts and other documents related to the performance of the donee’s duties.
When power of attorney expires due to the donor’s death, and the property cannot be immediately be surrendered to the joint administration of the estate stakeholders, the donee can surrender the property to one estate stakeholder who is responsible for the management of the estate’s property. The donee must notify all estate stakeholders whose identity and location is known that they have surrendered the property.
A final statement must be submitted to the party that is entitled to receive the donor’s property. Not to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency
Checklist
- Check and read through the decision on the confirmation of the power of attorney as well as the power of attorney document.
- Check whether the decision or the power of attorney document stipulates that you must submit an annual statement.
Frequently asked questions
Check whether this is required in the power of attorney document, it may stipulate that it is necessary. In any case, save all receipts and documents, even if you are not required to submit an annual statement.
The guardianship authority always has the right to request clarification on how you have handled the donor’s affairs.
The final statement is submitted to the party who is entitled to it. Not to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
Guardianship Services contact information
When sending an email, please use the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s secure email to ensure that your information is sent securely. Select [email protected] as the recipient in the secure mail
Send the email as a secure email
Postal address
Property inventories and annual statements must be sent to the postal address of the service location.
All other post to the Guardianship Service must be sent to the address:
Digital and Population Data Services Agency / Guardianship, PO Box 1004, FI-00531 Helsinki
Telephone number
The telephone service is open 9.00-12.00 on weekdays
Service number +358 295 536 256
Service locations
Addresses of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s service location
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