The principal may hold the power of attorney document until such time as help is needed and then give it to the agent. Often, a lawyer may fulfill this important role. For example, the principal may leave the power of attorney with the lawyer who prepared it, asking the lawyer to deliver it to the agent under certain specific conditions. Because the lawyer may not know if and when the principal is incapacitated, the principal should let the agent know that the lawyer has retained the signed document and will deliver it as directed. If the principal does not want the agent to be able to use the power of attorney until it is delivered, the power of attorney should clearly require the agent to possess the original, because copies of signed powers of attorney are sufficient for acceptance by third parties.
The information contained in this Website is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as offering legal advice, or creating an attorney client relationship between the reader and the author. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this Website without seeking appropriate legal advice about your individual facts and circumstances from an attorney licensed in your state. Rania Combs is licensed to practice law only in Texas. Rania Combs is physically located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and meets with clients in Houston, Texas by appointment only.
Disclaimer: Communications between you and doyourownwill are protected by our Privacy Statement but not by the attorney-client privilege or as work product. We are not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. We cannot provide any kind of advice, explanation, opinion, or recommendation about possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection of forms or strategies. Your access to the website is subject to our Disclaimer.
A living will can be created by an individual within one (1) day. It does not need to be made with an attorney or filed with a government office. All that is required is for the Principal (the patient) to enter their end-of-life treatment options and have the living will signed in the presence of a notary public and/or witnesses (depending on State Laws).
Related to the health care power of attorney is a separate document known as an advance health care directive, also called a "living will". A living will is a written statement of a person's health care and medical wishes but does not appoint another person to make health care decisions. Depending upon the jurisdiction, a health care power of attorney may or may not appear with an advance health care directive in a single, physical document. For example, the California legislature has adopted a standard power of attorney for health care and advance health care directive form that meets all of that state's legal wording requirements for a power of attorney and advance health care directive in a single document.[15] Compare this to New York State, which enacted a Health Care Proxy law that requires a separate document be prepared appointing one as your health care agent.[16]
These state specific living will forms are in word (.doc) and adobe (.pdf) formats and available for free and immediate download. Each will open in a separate window when clicked. Once opened, you can then save and edit on your computer. If you prefer, you can right click on the file, then chose “save Target as” and save the form directly to your computer. Once saved, you may edit and fill in the forms with your word processing software.
The transfer process becomes much more involved when wealth is passed to a subsequent generation. If assets that are held individually are properly titled, this process should be seamless. However, financial planners have seen some significant mistakes on the titling of assets held individually, as well as beneficiary designations that would be sure to upset even the happiest of homes.
Although a power of attorney grants the agent powers to perform acts in the absence of the grantor, the POA cannot grant powers to the agent that conflict with rules and regulations governing people and companies that the agent deals with. For example, if a bank has regulations that require the grantor to be physically present in the bank to perform certain actions, the POA cannot grant the agent power to perform those actions in the absence of the grantor.
One relatively new aspect of estate planning is digital assets. Things like email accounts, social media pages, blogs, websites, and media stored in the Cloud all qualify as digital assets, and you’ll need to decide who gets which assets after you pass away. Many of us now use Cloud services to store our family photos and videos instead of traditional photo albums and physical videos, so your family will want to be able to access these cherished memories.
Steven Buitron, a San Antonio native, is an experienced attorney with a background that sets him apart from the rest. Prior to entering private practice, he spent many years as a professor, teaching Business Law and Political Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Wayland Baptist University and Cayuga Community College in Fulton, New York. Mr. Buitron completed his undergraduate education at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, followed by a Master's degree in Public Administration and later a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law. Mr. Buitr ... View Profile
