Florida Durable Power of Attorney Lawyer
A Durable Power of Attorney is the financial and business equivalent of a health care surrogate. In a Durable Power of Attorney, you name someone whom you trust explicitly to handle your financial affairs if you are unable to do so yourself. The person to whom you give power of attorney can write checks, pay bills, collect insurance benefits, apply for benefits, make living arrangements - do everything and anything that needs to be done for you. You can name the same person to be your Health Care Surrogate for medical care and your Durable Power of Attorney for financial matters.
The old days in which your spouse could automatically perform these functions for you are long gone. As defensive as our society has become, it is more important than ever that you have someone authorized to act on your behalf with a legal power of attorney. If you were be in a situation where you were unable to speak for yourself, your spouse or child or parent might have to go to court and be named as your legal guardian to be able to handle your normal business affairs.
Bear in mind, a Power of Attorney is a "key to the house and bank account" and is not a power to be conferred lightly. If it is granted, it must be done with careful controls to prevent improper use: it is not a prudent all-purpose planning device.
The Durable Power of Attorney is effective immediately upon signing or upon the occurrence of a specific event. Contrary to general thought and what the name implies, it is generally intended to be a temporary solution for emergency situations, it may not solve long-term financial planning problems. Further, the power of attorney dies with the principal. It cannot be used after death to "wind up" a person's affairs and substitute for probate.
For More Information About Durable Power of Attorney
Please contact estate-planning lawyer Rebecca M. Becker if you would like more information about a Durable Power of Attorney. We prepare Durable Powers of Attorney and other legal preventive maintenance documents for clients in Flagler and Volusia County in Florida, including Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Deland, Deltona, Pierson, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach.
We look forward to an opportunity to work with you.
