what of you have more than one power of attorney

The authority of a power of attorney is in effect as long as the person who granted the authority is alive. Can More Than One Person Have the Power of Attorney? The short answer is yes. You can have two, three, or ten people as your agents if that’s what you want.

Full Answer

Can you assign power of attorney to more than one person?

View all Yes, you can name more than one person on your durable power of attorney, but our law firm generally advise against it under most circumstances. First, there is no legal reason why you cannot name more than one person as your power of attorney - you can name 10 people if you want.

What is power of attorney and how does it work?

A power of attorney allows a person you appoint -- your "attorney-in-fact" or agent -- to act in your place for financial or other purposes when and if you ever become incapacitated or if you can't act on your own behalf. The power of attorney document specifies what powers the agent has, which may include the power to open bank accounts ...

What can you do with a power of attorney?

Your financial agent might be able to make the following decisions for you:

• Access your accounts to pay your bills
• File your tax returns
• Make investment decisions for you
• Collect debts that are owed to you
• Manage your property
• Apply for public benefits for you

How does one acquire power of attorney?

• A springing power of attorney does not go into effect until a specified qualification is met. ...
• A durable power of attorney goes into effect immediately. ...
• A springing durable power of attorney fits both of the above categories. ...
• An ordinary or general power of attorney is comprehensive. ...

More items...

Why is a durable power of attorney important?

A durable power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents and can save your family (and you) from problems and expenses if you become unable to handle your own affairs as a result of illness or accident.

Why is it important to name one child on a power of attorney?

It is also important that there be communication and trust among the agent (s) and other family members. Lack of communication with other family members may lead to suspicions and accusations of misconduct, even if there isn’t any. Sometimes clients are concerned that if they name one child on a power of attorney it may look like favoritism ...

How many daughters does Jack have?

Who to name and whether you should have more than one agent is an important discussion to have with your planning attorney. Jack, age 88, has two daughters, Laverne and Shirley, both of whom are capable and willing to act for Jack if needed. Jack’s initial thought was to name Laverne, his eldest, as agent and Shirley as a successor (ie, ...

What age can you have a durable power of attorney?

Although everyone over the age of eighteen should have a durable power of attorney, having someone you trust to act on your behalf is paramount.

Where does Laverne live?

He showed some concern, however, that Shirley’s feelings would be hurt. Another concern of Jack’s (and Shirley’s) is that Laverne lives in Milwaukee and himself and Shirley live on Long Island. However, if you have the right person, where that person lives is usually not a problem.

Should an agent be allowed to act separately?

Unless the client has real concerns about his agents acting without consulting one another, we typically recommend that the agents be permitted to act separately which allows for more flexibility. It will be much more efficient if either agent can write checks, deal with financial institutions and sign contracts.

Can you name more than one child as an agent?

So they may ask about naming more than one child as agent. This can solve some of the communication issues since all agents will have access to financial accounts and information. It’s also less likely that the appointed agent will abuse her power if she knows there’s oversight from others.

Question

Can you have a shared power of attorney? My aunt named her son as agent and he misused funds. Then she appointed her nephew and he let her credit rating slip because he did not pay bills in a timely fashion.

Answer

When you make or change a durable power of attorney for finances, you are allowed to name more than one agent (or "attorney-in-fact," as this person is known in some states). If your aunt wants to name both niece and nephew, she may do so, but she will have to decide how they should carry out their duties.

Why do people have powers of attorney?

Individuals typically make medical powers of attorney to ensure that someone they trust will make their medical decisions if they become incapacitated. Some states combine a medical power of attorney with a healthcare declaration, or living will, into a single form, commonly called an advance healthcare directive.

What is a power of attorney?

Powers of attorney confer authority to an agent to make either financial or medical decisions for the principal for a set term or indefinitely. For example, if you plan an extended vacation in a remote area, you can use a financial power of attorney to name an agent to handle your day-to-day finances for the period of the trip.

Can a principal have multiple powers of attorney?

The law does not forbid a principal from giving several different agents overlapping authority in several different powers of attorney. You are also free to name several coagents in a single power of attorney, or to prepare identical powers of attorney appointing different agents.

Why is it so complicated to have a POA?

A person’s legal situation can get complicated when they try to have too many legal actions taken that they do not track properly. For example, if you already have a power of attorney with someone but then decide to create a separate power of attorney (POA) with someone else, then that is a problem. The same goes for creating a new will ...

Can you have one POA?

For example, you could have one POA that covers financial matters and another that covers contractual negotiations. If you have agents who are strong in those areas, then separate POAs might actually be a good idea. Instead of revoking a POA, you may want to look into amending your POAs to work to your benefit.

Can you customize a POA?

It is also important to remember that you can customize your POA to cover only certain aspects of your affairs.

Can you have two POAs on one person?

Two POAs on One Person. Can one person legally have two different POAs in effect giving two different people the power of attorney? The answer is yes. You can have two POAs in effect giving the power of attorney to two different people.

What is a joint and severally power of attorney?

What is a ‘jointly and severally’ power of attorney? In a lasting power of attorney, ‘jointly and severally’ means that your attorneys can make decisions together or act by themselves if they need to.

What are some examples of decisions that all attorneys must agree on?

Typically, you choose certain decisions that all attorneys must agree on. For example, buying or selling property, or managing investments. For anything else, you let them act independently. Pros: Gives your attorneys flexibility on most things while ringfencing key assets.

What happens if a power of attorney doesn't make a new one?

If the person who made the power of attorney can’t make a new one, you’re in an awkward position. If the power of attorney says you need to make one or all decisions jointly… you won’t be able to act as attorney on those decisions without them. The replacement attorneys can step in, if the LPA names any.

What happens if one of your attorneys drops out?

It’s more flexible. And if one of your attorneys drops out, the remaining attorneys can still act. Your replacement attorneys, if you have them, will simply work alongside them.

What to do if you think an attorney is abusing their position?

If you think an attorney is abusing their position. If you think the person is in immediate danger, apply for an emergency or urgent court order. For example, if they need emergency medical treatment they cannot consent to. If the situation isn’t urgent, contact the Office of the Public Guardian. The details are here.

What is an example of an attorney acting independently?

Typically, you choose certain decisions that all attorneys must agree on. For example, buying or selling property, or managing investments. For anything else, you let them act independently.

What is a power of attorney?

A power of attorney gives someone you trust the power to make decisions for you if you’re not able to make them. On the form to apply, you’re known as the ‘donor’. The person you’ve chosen to act for you is called your ‘attorney’.

Why do we advise more than one?

The reason why we do advise more than one is in the event of a conflict. With multiple named attorneys-in-fact, there is always the ability for people to conflict on decisions. Conflicts may mean paralysis as each decisionmaker can overrule the other and the only way out would typically be a guardianship proceeding.

What is a co-surrogate power of attorney?

Remember, your power of attorney is for financial and legal decision making while your health care decisions are subject to your advance directives.

Is a revocable trust a good idea in Florida?

Planning with a revocable living trust is very common in Florida. A trust is an excellent way to avoid probate and prepare for your incapacity and can be recommended under a variety of situations. Learn more about how durable powers of attorney interact with revocable living trusts here.

Can a power of attorney prevent guardianship?

If you do not do things the right way, the power of attorney may not be able to prevent a guardianship, so think about things thoroughly!

Can you name more than one person on a power of attorney?

Yes, you can name more than one person on your durable power of attorney, but our law firm generally advise against it under most circumstances. First, there is no legal reason why you cannot name more than one person as your power of attorney - you can name 10 people if you want.

Can you name one person at a time?

Answer: no one (or everyone)! We prefer to name one person at a time in descending order - i.e., start at your spouse and move to children in order of priority or what have you. There is, however, a great exception to this rule: when you have an aging couple, it may be best to name your spouse and a responsible child as attorneys-in-fact. ...

How Does Power of Attorney Work?

Power of Attorney works by allowing someone to make important decisions on your behalf, should you become incapacitated or medically unable to do so. The purpose of officially nominating a POA is to ensure that someone can act on your behalf in a timely manner should they ever need to.

What Are the Limitations of Power of Attorney?

While a Power of Attorney has robust legal rights when it comes to managing the affairs of the Principal, there are certain limitations to be aware of. These limitations are in place to help regulate the role of POA:

Common Questions About Power of Attorney Rights

The Power of Attorney rights and limitations exist to ensure both parties understand exactly what the role entails. However, there are a few gray areas that may require more context to understand:

What happens if a power of attorney co-agent disagrees with a principal?

If power of attorney co-agents disagree on a financial decision and the principal is mentally competent and not physically incapacitated, then the principal’s decision supersedes the representatives. The principal also has the authority to revoke an agent’s authority.

What is a principal in a power of attorney?

The principal is the individual who appoints a power of attorney. Another way to think of the principal is as the person a power of attorney is making the decisions for. A competent principal is still coherent and mentally able to make his or her own decisions. If power of attorney co-agents disagree on a financial decision and ...

Can a co-agent petition the court?

If two people are named as co-agents on a durable power of attorney and they are faced with a financial or health care decision that they can’t agree on, then the co-agents can petition the court to decide. In most case, this will be the probate court. The court will attempt to discern the principal’s wishes through any estate planning documents ...

Can you have two power of attorney?

The simplest option is to not give two people power of attorney. Or, if you must appoint two people, name one as the primary representative and the other as the secondary representative in case the primary becomes incapacitated. If you’re still concerned about the decisions of the primary representative, then you probably need to take another look ...

Can you name two daughters as co-agents for power of attorney?

Naturally, it may seem like a good idea to spread that authority to more than one person. You decide to name your two daughters as co-agents for power of attorney; they can share the burden.