Checklist: Name A Power Of Attorney

If you should become incapacitated and a Power Of Attorney has been appointed, there won't be a lapse in your ability to control your finances or legal matters, as the agent will be able to act on your behalf. If you become incapacitated without a Power Of Attorney, no one can legally handle your financial affairs.

In order to name one, you're going to need to work with a lawyer or an online legal service. This worksheet can prepare you for the conversations and decisions you’re going to have to make. To learn more about naming a Power Of Attorney, click here.

• Choose the person you’d like to serve as your Power Of Attorney
  • In case I become unable to handle my own financial and legal affairs on my own, the person I would like to handle my financial and legal affairs on my behalf is______________________________________.
  • If this person is unable to serve as Power Of Attorney, I would like my back-up (“successor”) Power Of Attorney to be______________________________________.
• Decide when you’d like your Power Of Attorney to begin:I would like my power of attorney to go into effect
  • Immediately upon signing
  • At a specific date or event, such as a declaration of my incompetence
• Decide when you’d like your Power Of Attorney to end:I would like my power of attorney to remain in effect until
  • I am declared incompetent
  • I die

If you chose “Immediately upon signing” and “I am declared incompetent” you’ll be creating a Non-Durable Power of Attorney.

If you chose “Immediately upon signing” and “I die” you’ll be creating a Durable Power of Attorney.

If you chose “At a specific date or event, such as a declaration of my incompetence” and “I die” you’ll be creating a Springing Power of Attorney.