You should not rely on thisbooklet for legal advice. Itprovides general informa-tion only.POW ER OFATTORNEYThis booklet explains how a power of attor-ney can help you to look after your currentand future financial affairs. It describessome common examples. See page 10 forwhere to get help with your particularsituation. What is power of attorney?A power of attorney is a legal document.When you give someone power of attor-ney you give him or her the legal powerto take care of financial and legal mattersfor you. This might include paying bills,depositing or withdrawing money fromyour bank account, investing yourmoney or selling your house.The person you give this power to iscalled THE ATTORNEY (in this case,attorney does not mean lawyer). You arecalled THE DONOR.Power of attorney does not give theattorney authority to make decisionsabout your health care. It covers finan-cial and legal matters only.DECEMBER 2002UPDATEDFREE2What powers of attorney are used forThere are many reasons people make apower of attorney. One reason is becausethey are physically unable to look aftertheir affairs due to travel or injury.EXAMPLE: Anita is leaving the country tovisit her grandchildren. She may be gone fora long time. She wants to give her niece theauthority to pay her bills when she is away.Anita makes a power of attorney.Another reason people often make apower of attorney is in case they become“mentally incapable” due to illness, diseaseor accident. See the sample on page 6.A power of attorney is a simple and in-expensive way to plan ahead and choosewho will help you with your finances. Ifyou become “mentally incapable” and youdo not have a power of attorney, your fam-ily may have to go to court to get the l...
