Tag Archives: Power of Attorney
Power Of Attorney: Why Should I Give My Agent The Power To Make Gifts?
The idea behind a Durable General Power of Attorney (POA) is to appoint someone (your agent) who can manage your financial affairs if you (the principal) are unable to do so. The overwhelming majority of the language in the document describes the various things that your agent can do. Most POAs (including mine) contain… Read More »
Get Your Advance Directive: Don’t Be A Headline
In giving estate planning seminars, I am always trying to impress upon my audience the importance of planning while young and healthy. One of many reasons to plan sooner rather than later is to avoid being the subject of a news story like the one ran by the Associated Press on October 31, 2011:… Read More »
Should I Get An Advance Directive, A Living Will Or A Health Care Power Of Attorney?
The answer is the first one or the second one and the third one. The problem with answering the question is first and foremost one of terminology. For starters, each state calls these legal documents by different names. For instance, Maryland has an Advance Directive, Virginia has an Advance Medical Directive and the District… Read More »
Safekeeping Your Last Will & Testament: 5 Recommendations
So you stopped procrastinating, hired a lawyer, and executed a Will. Now what should you do with it? To fully understand the following five recommendations it is essential that you understand the importance of the original Will. After your death, the original Will needs to be delivered to the Register of Wills (or its… Read More »
3 Issues To Consider When Drafting Your Power Of Attorney
So you are now convinced that you need a Power of Attorney (POA) in place to help your family and loved ones take care of you in your time of need. Or maybe you and your aging parent have decided that a POA needs to be executed in anticipation of deteriorating health. Below are… Read More »
Maryland’s New Power Of Attorney Act
On October 1, 2010, a new power of attorney act went into effect in the State of Maryland. Efforts had been made for a number of years to get legislation passed that would govern the use of power of attorneys. The new Act should assist the general public by making power of attorneys easier… Read More »
What Is A Durable Power Of Attorney Anyway?
So many people come in to see me and are convinced that they need a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA). When I ask them why, they don’t know. Further probing usually reveals that they aren’t quite sure what a DPOA actually is. Let me see if I can explain the idea. Simply put, a… Read More »