Rev. 04/2000
POWERS OF ATTORNEY
What Do I Need to Know?
What is a “Power of Attorney”?
It is a document that you sign to give someone else the power or authority to handle your
personal affairs. A medical power of attorney allows you to appoint someone to make medical
decisions for you in the event you can not make them for yourself. A financial power of attorney
allows you to appoint someone who can have access to your money and financial records and
handle your money for you when you cannot.
Can I have the same person serve as my medical power of attorney representative and as my
financial power of attorney representative?
Yes. You may appoint the same person to be both your medical and financial power of attorney
representative or you may appoint different persons.
(NOTE: This leaflet primarily answers questions related to financial powers of attorney. For
specific questions dealing with medical powers of attorney, see, MEDICAL POWERS OF
ATTORNEY: What Do I Need to Know?
Can I have both my son and daughter to serve as my power of attorney representative?
Yes. You can appoint more than one person to serve as your power of attorney representative.
However, you should be sure to specify whether they can act individually or whether they must
act jointly. For example, Is the signature of either your son or daughter sufficient or do you want
the signatures of both your son and daughter to convey your consent?
What can my power of attorney representative do?
Your representative can do anything you give him or her the power to do. You decide what
powers you want to give your power of attorney. You can give the person you appoint very
specific and narrow powers: for example, “the power to deposit my pension check in my bank
account.” Or you can give the person you appoint very broad authority: for example, “the power
to do anything I could do if I were present.”
How Long Does a Power of Attorney Last?
A simple power of attorney is valid only as long as you have the capacity to handle your own
affairs. As long as you have capacity, you can review the actions of your power of attorney at
any time. You can tell him or her what you want and do not want. After you lose this ability, in
other words, after you become incapacitated, a simple power of attorney is no longer valid and
the person you appointed loses the power to act for you. Someone will have to go through the