As someone with the role of power of attorney, you have specific responsibilities to carry out on behalf of another individual that cannot make these decisions at the time. Another individual has trusted you with this role to make important decisions for them when they are unable to make decisions due to a lacking clear state of mind. You will act as an agent for this individual. By consulting with legal documents that list their wishes, you may be able to make better decisions based on their own wishes. Through a legal document, it establishes that a power of attorney has the authority to act for another person. People may wish to choose a friend, family member or even a business entity as their power of attorney. In the end, they should choose someone they trust making important decisions for them. There are a few different types of power of attorneys. The types mostly differ based on the decisions that can be made and the amount of power each agent has on behalf of the other party.
When you are unable to make decisions due to an incapacitated nature, your durable power of attorney will have the knowledge to make end of life care decisions for you. Previously, you would have told them how to proceed with certain procedures. You will have told them your take on life support and organ donation, along with other aspects. This individual will ensure that end of life care is done accordingly and can even manage finances according to directions they were given.
Are there different types?
When you are given the role of being a power of attorney, you may be given a lot of power on behalf of someone else. This is supposed to be beneficial for that individual. The individual you are representing should have set limits on what is expected of you. They can give you as much power as they want or as little power as possible. The amount of power given to you is in their control. You may only be in charge of their health decisions or you may have to control many aspects of their life, including their finances. There are different types of power of attorneys based on the amount of power given to them.
A general power of attorney is someone that is given the authority to conduct financial actions on behalf of the other individual. These tasks can include filing taxes, executing contracts or borrowing money. If you are given the role of a limited power of attorney, you are an agent that can take certain actions that are at the discretion of the individual who gave you the authority. They have the ability to make your power as limited or as broad as they would like. Due to this, a limited power of attorney can vary depending on each situation.
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