A Power of Attorney is a crucial estate planning document that allows someone you know and trust to make important decisions for you when you’re away or incapable of acting for yourself. This gives you some semblance of control when control is otherwise out of your hands. Use your POA to communicate your ideals and preferences to your donee and ensure that they respect your wishes.
Without a POA, critical decisions that affect your money and your life may be left up to people who don’t always have your best interests in mind. In some cases, decisions may be blocked without the proper authorization for a person to act.
For example, a business owner might create a POA to help manage their corporate affairs. Imagine their business deals with importing and exporting shipments, and they need someone to process customs clearance on their behalf. Without a POA that authorizes someone to provide this clearance, officials would likely stop the movement of the goods.
A common use case for LPAs is elderly parents who wish to pass on their financial and legal responsibilities to a younger family member. For instance, parents often appoint their adult children as their donees. This is essential, as elderly people are at higher risk of losing their mental competence as they age.