Powers of attorney in plain words
What your agent can sign, what they can’t, and when the document starts to work.
Of all the documents families sign, the power of attorney is the one they most often misunderstand. It does not give anyone your house. It lets one person you trust act for you, on matters you choose, when you cannot.
Two documents, two jobs
A financial power of attorney covers money: paying bills, managing accounts, signing for a sale you have approved. A medical power of attorney covers health: talking with doctors and choosing treatment. They are separate, and you may name different people for each.
When it starts to work
Some start the day you sign. Others start only if a doctor writes that you cannot manage your affairs. The second sounds safer, but it can slow a family down at the worst moment, so we talk through which is right for you.
What it can’t do
- Work after you die. A will or a trust does that.
- Override your own decisions while you can still make them.
- Let your agent give your property to themselves, unless you wrote that in.
Choosing the person
Pick someone who is calm, organized and willing to say no to the rest of the family. Then pick a back-up. Then tell both of them where the paper is kept.