Helping You Make Informed Decisions About Your Power Of Attorney In Texas
In Texas, a power of attorney (POA) is an estate planning document that empowers someone to make legal decisions on your behalf. By enabling your chosen “agent” to manage your affairs, they can represent you when the time comes that you are unable to do so.
Depending on your specific needs and the type of POA you establish for your agent, their legal authorization over your personal matters can be broad or limited, and accessed only under certain conditions. Here are two examples:
- Medical POA: This provides your agent with decision-making authority over your medical treatments – but only if you become physically or mentally incapacitated.
- Durable POA: This provides your agent with decision-making authority over a broad range of matters and may continue even after you become physically disabled or mentally incapacitated.
When you come to Traci Hutton, Attorney At Law, for guidance over your POA’s contents, Traci will review the details of your document with efficiency and help ensure that your rights are protected.
Whether you are preparing for your upcoming retirement or going through a major change in your life, attorney Traci Hutton can address your concerns and help you draft a power of attorney document that flawlessly aligns with all your intentions.
Who Should You Choose As Your Agent?
Since this person will be responsible for your decisions in the future, your agent should be someone you have known for years. They should be honest, dependable and someone who you feel you can entrust your life with.
Although this decision is entirely up to you, you can still ask your family and closest friends’ opinions on this matter. After careful planning, you must consult with a Texas power of attorney lawyer who can help you establish the type of POA you want to grant your chosen agent.
With attorney Hutton by your side, she can help you set your POA’s specific terms and conditions. For example, if you have a durable POA, you can decide whether you want your agent to represent you on your:
- Real property transactions
- Business operating transactions
- Banking transactions
- Retirement plan transactions
- Insurance transactions
- Living trust and estate management transactions
While your agent can act on your behalf, it is important to remember that they do not have the means to limit your ability to do something for yourself.
Can A POA Be Revoked?
Yes, you have the right to end your POA at any given time, so long as you have the mental capacity to do so. If your POA has an ending date, it will be revoked automatically. If it does not contain an ending date, you can inform your agent that you are revoking their power of attorney.
As a smart and cautionary step, you should create a sworn written statement of your revocation and inform the people who are collaborating with your agent that you have revoked their POA.
The Firm Offers A Boutique-Style Power Of Attorney Services
To schedule a free initial consultation with a Texas estate planning lawyer, reach out to the POA law firm, Traci Hutton, Attorney At Law today at 817-778-4543 or send them an email through their contact form.