Many fear the “Power of Attorney” and wait until it is too late to give a loved one the power and authority to act on their behalf when they become incapacitated. In reality, the greater fear should be the situation where no Power or Attorney is in place before a loved one becomes incapacitated and unable to make rational decisions on their own.
The Power of Attorney needed to provide for the unwelcome situation of incapacity is the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. There are also other ways to give authority to a loved one to act on your behalf such as a General Durable Power of Attorney, a Limited Power of Attorney, and a Power of Attorney for Child Care.
The General Durable Power of Attorney can give authority to a loved one to pay your bills when you are out of the country on vacation. The Limited Power of Attorney allows a loved one to act on your behalf for the limited purpose and time frame that you specify in the document. The Power of Attorney for Child Care allows your chosen caretaker of your children to do for them what you would do while you are absent.
All Power of Attorney documents can be revoked while you are still of sound mind. A Power of Attorney is not valid after your death.
These are documents you may need to plan your estate and simplify your life: