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                                                                      EXHIBIT 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY



     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, an officer and/or a
director of Associates First Capital Corporation, which corporation proposes to
file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., a
Registration Statement pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, with respect to the issue and sale of certain securities of the
Company bearing such name or designation and having such terms and to be in such
form as may be selected by the responsible officers of the Company, has made,
constituted and appointed and by these presents, does hereby make, constitute
and appoint TIMOTHY M. HAYES, ROY A. GUTHRIE, CHESTER D. LONGENECKER AND JOHN F.
STILLO, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys, for him and in his
name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and
file said Registration Statement and any and all amendments or post-effective
amendments thereto and any and all other documents to be signed and filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection therewith, hereby granted
to said TIMOTHY M. HAYES, ROY A. GUTHRIE, CHESTER D. LONGENECKER AND JOHN F.
STILLO, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in the
premises, as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said TIMOTHY M. HAYES, ROY A. GUTHRIE, CHESTER D. LONGENECKER AND JOHN F.
STILLO, or any of them, as said attorneys, may or shall lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand this 7th day of
April, 1998.


SIGNATURE:   /s/ KEITH W. HUGHES
           --------------------------------------
           (Keith W. Hughes)

           Chairman of the Board,
           Chief Executive Officer and Director


            /s/ HAROLD D. MARSHALL
-------------------------------------------------    
               (Harold D. Marshall)
           President, Chief Operating
             Officer and a Director
 
             /s/ J. CARTER BACOT                   
-------------------------------------------------
                (J. Carter Bacot)
                    Director
 
              /s/ ERIC S. DOBKIN                    
-------------------------------------------------
                 (Eric S. Dobkin)
                    Director
 
              /s/ ROY A. GUTHRIE                    
-------------------------------------------------   
                 (Roy A. Guthrie)                   
         Executive Vice President, Chief
             Financial Officer and a
                    Director

             /s/ WILLIAM M. ISAAC                   
-------------------------------------------------
                (William M. Isaac)
                    Director
 
             /s/ H. JAMES TOFFEY
-------------------------------------------------
                (H. James Toffey)
                    Director