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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 (the "Company"), has made,
constituted and appointed and by these presents does hereby, make constitute and
appoint ROY A. GUTHRIE, KEITH W. HUGHES, FREDERIC C. LISKOW, CHESTER D.
LONGENECKER and JOHN F. STILLO, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys,
for him and in the name, place and stead, and in his office and capacity as
aforesaid, to sign and file the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto and any
and all other documents to be signed and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission in connection therewith, hereby granting to said ROY A. GUTHRIE,
KEITH W. HUGHES, FREDERIC C. LISKOW, CHESTER D. LONGENECKER and JOHN F. STILLO,
and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act
and that 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 of all that said ROY A.
GUTHRIE, KEITH W. HUGHES, FREDERIC C. LISKOW, 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, each of the undersigned has subscribed his or her
name this 24th day of February, 1999.




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<C>              <S>                                        <S>              <S>
Signature:       /s/ KEITH W. HUGHES                        Signature:       /s/ WILLIAM M. ISAAC
                 ---------------------------------                           ---------------------------------
Name:            Keith W. Hughes                            Name:            William M. Isaac
Title:           Chairman of the Board, Principal           Title:           Director
                 Executive Officer and Director


Signature:       /s/ J. CARTER BACOT                        Signature:       /s/ JOHN F. STILLO
                 ---------------------------------                           ---------------------------------
Name:            J. Carter Bacot                            Name:            John F. Stillo
Title:           Director                                   Title:           Senior Vice President, Comptroller
                                                                             and Principal Accounting Officer


Signature:       /s/ ERIC S. DOBKIN                         Signature:       /s/ H. JAMES TOFFEY, JR. 
                 ---------------------------------                           ---------------------------------
Name:            Eric S. Dobkin                             Name:            H. James Toffey, Jr.
Title:           Director                                   Title:           Director



Signature:       /s/ ROY A. GUTHRIE                         Signature:       /s/ KENNETH WHIPPLE
                 ---------------------------------                           ---------------------------------
Name:            Roy A. Guthrie                             Name:            Kenneth Whipple
Title:           Director, Senior Executive Vice            Title:           Director
                 President and Chief Financial
                 Officer
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