Power of Attorney in Walnut Creek, California

Find the right Power of Attorney attorney in Walnut Creek, CA

In Walnut Creek, California, power of attorney is an arrangement in which one person (the principal) gives another (the attorney-in-fact) the capacity to act on the principal's behalf in particular situations, and under particular conditions. Power of attorney might be authorized for any number of reasons, but it is most commonly set up to allow the attorney-in-fact to make financial and medical decisions on the principal's behalf in the event that the principal becomes incapacitated.

If you are giving someone power of attorney, it's up to you to decide clearly what kind of decisions they will be able to make, and when they'll be able to make them. In any case, however, it's very important that you completely trust the person to whom you're granting this authority, since any power of attorney, even if it's very limited in scope, can be abused. Obviously, whatever type and amount of power you wish to give will depend on your intentions, as well as many external factors.

One very frequent reason for granting power of attorney is that the grantor believes that they might become incapacitated, due to age or illness, in the fairly near future, and they want to make sure that their preferences relating to care at the end of their life are followed. Of course, if nobody knows what that person's preferences are, and the patient is unable to express them, family members and doctors will simply have to guess. Obviously, there's a good chance that they could get it wrong. Thus, you should make your desires well-known to those who will be in a position to implement it, and grant, in writing, a person you trust (such as a spouse, life partner, sibling, or adult child) the authority to carry out your wishes, if necessary.

In Walnut Creek, California, you can find pre-printed power-of-attorney forms in many office supply stores. If the agreement you want to create isn't very complex, these could be a viable and very affordable option. Of course, it never hurts to have a lawyer help.

Types of Power of Attorney Arrangements in Walnut Creek, California

In Walnut Creek, California, there are 3 types of power of attorney. They are:

1. Limited power of attorney - this authorizes the attorney-in-fact to act on your behalf on a single subject, in one instance. This is a good option if you are involved in a business transaction happening in another state or country. Suppose you want to buy a house on the other side of the country, and just need to sign a few papers to finish the deal. Rather than incurring the expense of traveling there, you could give limited power of attorney to a third party who lives in that state, and they can sign the paperwork for you, finishing the deal. The power you've granted them would expire automatically once the deal is done.

2. Durable power of attorney - this gives the attorney in fact the power to make decisions on a general area of the principal's affairs (for instance, the authority to access the principal's assets to pay the principal's debts, or the power to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the principal). Unlike limited power of attorney, durable power of attorney does not expire unless the principal revokes it. This is useful, because it authorizes the attorney-in-fact to make important decisions for the principal if the principal becomes incapacitated.

3. Springing power of attorney - this is a lot like durable power of attorney, but it does not normally take effect immediately. Instead, the power vests on the occurrence of particular condition(s) laid out by the principal. The principal could make the condition anything he or she wants, permitting power of attorney to vest only if, say, a person flies to Saturn. Of course, these arrangements are normally not so outlandish. Normally the event that must take place is the principal becoming incapacitated. This permits the principal to make his or her own decisions while they're able, but also ensures that someone they trust will be able to carry out their wishes in the event that they become too sick or weak to express them.

Can a Walnut Creek, California Lawyer Help?

While setting up power of attorney in Walnut Creek, California can be simple, there are some instances in which it will inevitably be convoluted. In such cases, the process will be much easier if you have a seasoned attorney to help you along the way.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek is located in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is near Concord, Sacramento, and San Jose. Many view Walnut Creek at the "business and entertainment hub" of Contra Costa County because of its central location to California's capital and Silicon Valley.

Many Walnut Creek residents are employed by Aetna, HCR Manor Care, Nordstrom, John Muir-Health, Kaiser Permanente, Safeway, Macys, and the City of Walnut Creek. Top corporations in Walnut Creek include Carollo Engineers, American Reprographics, and PMI Group.

with such a working force, legal issues naturally arise. Walnut Creek is home to many small and mid-size firms with excellent attorneys who practice in all areas of law.

Popular attractions include the California Symphony and the Center Repertory Company. Walnut Creek also has a beautiful downtown with great shopping and dining.

Some famous residents include Alice Greczyn, Lester Rodney, Jeff Richards, Jason Newsted, Randy Johnson, and Luke Whitehead.

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