what if the broker refuses to accept your power of attorney?

by Prof. Dell Lockman 7 min read

If a bank or brokerage firm says it would reject your existing durable power of attorney, ask why and consider making modifications. Some institutions require language empowering the agent to engage in specific actions, such as trading options, designating beneficiaries, and using a margin account.

Full Answer

Can a Bank refuse to accept a power of attorney?

Jan 19, 2014 · Jeffrey Marshall. E ven a perfectly prepared and executed power of attorney (POA) can be rejected or called into question by a third party. Banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies, and other institutions often raise objections when presented with a POA by the named agent. They may de­mand proof that the POA is still valid or complain that the power of attor­ney …

What can be frustrated under a power of attorney?

First, try to make the bank officer pinpoint the exact reason for denying or holding up approval of the POA. Familiarize yourself with your state's power of attorney laws and cite specific sections. For example, some state laws have built-in timelines (such as a bank having to accept a valid POA within a certain number of days), and pointing to ...

Is it legal to refuse to honor a power of attorney?

Nov 03, 2021 · Returning to the issue of acceptance of the power of attorney, if the second step, that is doctor certification, is required, it can take longer to get the power of attorney accepted by banks, financial institutions and other organizations and they might not want to accept it at all. Third. Note what powers are given under the power of attorney.

What happens if a third party refuses to accept a PoA?

under a power of attorney can be frustrated when banks, brokerages, or title companies refuse to accept the authority granted to the agent under a duly executed power of attorney. This can happen even though the power of attorney appears to be valid. Let us first discuss when and why this occurs and how it might be avoided.

Can a Bank Refuse Access to Your Bank Account If Your Agent Has a Valid POA?

"Banks might stop short of outright refusing to recognize a POA, but their reluctance can take the form of equally inconvenient tactics …"

What to Do If a Bank Won't Accept Your Power of Attorney

If a bank won't accept a POA, the first step is to find out why. If the POA was not validly made in the first place—for example, it's not notarized, as required by most states, or witnessed, as required by some states—the simple solution is to make a new POA, if possible.

How to Avoid Issues With Banks by Planning Ahead

"Up-front work with financial institutions can save your agent a great deal of time and grief."

What are the different types of powers of attorney?

are less likely to occur with the following types of powers of attorney: (1) a California Uniform Statutory Power of Attorney; (2) a California Statutory Special Durable Power of Attorney For Bank Accounts and. Certificates of Deposit; or (3) a bank’s own power of attorney form. These are all standardized forms that are routinely.

Can a power of attorney be frustrated?

under a power of attorney can be frustrated when banks, brokerages, or title. companies refuse to accept the authority granted to the agent under a duly. executed power of attorney. This can happen. even though the power of attorney appears to be valid. Let us first discuss when and why this occurs.

Can banks refuse to accept power of attorney?

Banks, and other financial. institutions like brokerages, may refuse to accept a power of attorney if the. document (1) contains unfamiliar language (e.g., an attorney’s own document);

What happens if a third party rejects a power of attorney?

A third party that improperly rejects a power of attorney is subject to a court order mandating acceptance and to liability for damages including reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.

What is a power of attorney?

Now what? A power of attorney is a legal document delegating authority from one person to another. The maker of a power of attorney (the “principal”) grants an agent or agents the right to act on the principal’s behalf. The Florida Power of Attorney Act (the “Act”), effective as of October 1, 2011, significantly changed powers ...

When did Florida change its powers of attorney?

The Florida Power of Attorney Act (the “Act”), effective as of October 1, 2011, significantly changed powers of attorney in Florida. The Act provides protection to principals and clear guidance to agents as to their rights and responsibilities under a power of attorney.

Is it reasonable for a third party to have time to consult with a lawyer or an internal legal department?

While it is reasonable for a third party to have time to consult with a lawyer or an internal legal department, any delay exceeding a brief period of time may be unreasonable. A third party that in good faith accepts a power of attorney may rely on it and seek to enforce any obligation created by the agent on the principal’s behalf.

Is a power of attorney valid if it was not executed prior to October 2011?

If your power of attorney was executed prior to October 1, 2011, it remains valid but is not eligible for the expedited review period required for banks and financial institutions described above.

Can a financial institution refuse to honor a self prepared document?

These self prepared documents also tend to be too vague. Financial institutions – more specifically their legal departments – will scrutinize these documents. If the language in the document does not cover the specific task the agent is looking to carry out, the financial institution will likely refuse to honor it.

Can a POA be notarized without a witness?

Every effort should be made to have it notarized with a notary stamp and/or seal before two witnesses. It can be done without witnesses but if there is a question about validity there are 3 potential people who can support its validity.

Why is a power of attorney necessary?

When the power of attorney becomes necessary, it’s often because the principal has become incapacitated. A newer power of attorney, unlike an older one, may have been executed when the client has already begun to lose some of her earlier abilities and independence. That said, it’s hard to “fight city hall.”.

What is the Achilles heel of powers of attorney?

The Achilles heel of powers of attorney is that banks and other financial institutions sometimes refuse to honor them. A certain amount of caution on the part of financial institutions is understandable: When someone steps forward claiming to represent the account holder, the financial institution wants to verify that the attorney-in-fact indeed ...

Do banks have power of attorney?

For advance planning, many banks or other financial institutions have their own standard power of attorney forms. To avoid problems, ask the ones where you have accounts if they have such forms and execute them as well as a general durable power of attorney.

What happens if a third party refuses to accept a POA?

In that case, the law allows you to collect attorney’s fees if the third party unreasonably refused to accept the POA.

How does an agent use the authority granted in a POA?

How an Agent Uses the Authority Granted in a POA. Once an Agent has been granted authority under a POA, using that authority should be relatively simple. Legally, a POA gives the Agent the authority to act on behalf of the Principal.

What is a power of attorney?

A power of attorney is a legal agreement whereby the Principal (the person granting authority) grants authority to an Agent to act on behalf of the Principal in legal matters. The extent of the authority granted to an Agent by a Principal will depend on the type of POA the Principal executed. Under a general POA an Agent has virtually unfettered ...

How often should a POA be updated?

Legally, this is not a valid reason to refuse to honor the POA; however, because trying to use an old POA so often leads to problems, it is a good idea to have the Principal update the POA every three to five years just to avoid problems.

Why do third parties refuse to honor POA?

Some of the most common reasons given by third parties include: The POA is “sta le” – a very common excuse given by third parties for refusing to honor a POA is ...

What can an agent do with a POA?

Under a general POA an Agent has virtually unfettered authority to act, meaning the Agent can use the POA to do things such as withdraw funds from the Principal’s bank account, enter into a contract in the Principal’s name, and even sell assets owned by the Principal.

What is a POA?

A power of attorney, or POA, is one of the most commonly used legal documents because of the numerous purposes a POA can serve. At some point in your life you will likely execute a POA, making you the “Principal” as well as be appointed as an “Agent” under a power of attorney executed by someone else. Considering how often POAs are used you might ...