Power of Attorney – Protect Your Finances When It Matters Most

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a vital legal document that allows you to choose someone you trust to manage your financial and legal affairs if you become incapacitated or unable to act on your own. It’s a cornerstone of any complete estate plan—yet it's often overlooked until it’s too late.

A Power of Attorney is a legal document that grants another person—the "agent" or "attorney-in-fact"—the authority to make decisions and take actions on your behalf. In California, there are several types of POAs, but the most common in estate planning is the Durable Power of Attorney for Finances.

This document becomes especially important if you:

• Suffer a medical emergency or serious illnes
• Become temporarily or permanently incapacitated
• Need someone to manage financial matters while you're traveling or unavailable
   

A Durable Power of Attorney can authorize your agent to:

• Pay bills and manage bank account 
• Handle real estate transactions
• Oversee retirement accounts and investments
• Sign tax documents
• Run a small business
• Manage insurance and legal matters
   

If you become incapacitated without a valid Power of Attorney, your family may be forced to go through court-supervised conservatorship—a time-consuming, expensive, and often emotionally draining process.

A legally drafted POA lets you choose who will manage your affairs and ensures that person can act immediately, without court delays or interference.

While you can find generic POA forms online, they often lack the clarity and precision needed to comply with California law or reflect your specific financial circumstances. Mistakes or vague language in a Power of Attorney can:

• Limit your agent’s authority when it's needed most 
• Be rejected by banks, title companies, or government agencies
• Cause confusion, delays, or legal disputes among family members