There are a lot of decisions you will have to make in life and one of the most important ones is who will be your power of attorney. Everyone should designate a power of attorney when creating their estate documents. When a power of attorney is not named your estate could fall into the wrong hands. Here are some tips to follow when choosing the right person as power of attorney.
The very first thing you need to consider is the comfort level your choice has with speaking to professionals. The power of attorney will need to interact with doctors, accountants, financial planners and lawyers when representing you and your wishes.
Do you trust the person you want to have as your power of attorney? Trust is very important because this person must be trusted to carry out your wishes exactly how they are written in your will and other estate documents.
Is your choice for power of attorney younger than you? This is something to consider because you don’t want to choose someone who might precede you in death. The age factor is the reason why many people choose their adult children as powers of attorney.
Finding and asking one person to be your power of attorney is difficult enough. Finding and asking a second person to serve as an alternate is just as difficult. You should name a primary and secondary power of attorney in the event the primary passes away or declines the role when the time comes.
If you follow the tips outlined in this post, you should be able to find someone who fits the bill as the right person for your power of attorney. Make sure you don’t choose someone simply because you’ve known them all your life.