A strong estate plan takes into consideration the unfortunate, but realistic possibility, that a parent becomes incapacitated or unable to make decisions due to a serious illness or injury. In this event, a Power of Attorney is used to designate someone that you trust to make decisions and take action for you on your behalf. There are two main types of Power of Attorneys: General and Medical.  

     A General Power of Attorney allows you to authorize another person to handle your financial and legal affairs, like manage bank accounts and transfer funds, pay everyday bills, file and pay taxes, access safe deposit boxes, apply for or manage government benefits, sign contracts, hire professionals (like an accountant or a caregiver), oversee home maintenance and repairs, etc. 

     A Medical Power of Attorney allows you to authorize another person to make decisions about your healthcare, including the ability to consent to or refuse medical treatments and procedures, choose or change healthcare providers and facilities, access and manage medical records, communicate with doctors, nurses, and other care providers, make decisions about tests, medications, and therapies, etc. 

     Some people choose the same person as their General and Medical Power of Attorney, while others prefer to select different people for these roles. 

     All Powers of Attorney terminate when the person who created the power of attorney, the principal, passes away. For this reason, a Power of Attorney has a limited role because they no longer have any legal authority once the principal dies.