POWERS OF ATTORNEY

The Power of Attorney is a document authorizing another person to make legally binding decisions on your behalf.  These decisions bind you the same as if you had been there and done so yourself.  Most of the time these powers are granted for very limited purposes: you are out of town and need someone to sign closing documents, or you might authorize the car dealer to get plates for you at DMV.

A General Power of Attorney authorizes your attorney-in-fact to act for you in many other situations.  The most common would include banking, the sale or mortgage of real estate, voting stock, managing a business, authorizing medical treatment, and dealing with tax issues,   A general power of attorney is part of an estate plan because it allows someone to act for you if you become disabled and can not act for yourself. 

A Medical Power of Attorney (also called an Advance Medical Directive or Living Will) is a document that sets out your "right to die" choices and authorizes another person to make medical decisions on your behalf.  The Terri Schiavo case demonstrated the need for this important document.

Our estate planning packages include these important documents.