Power of attorney in Norristown, Pennsylvania is a legal setup in which one person (the principal) grants another (the attorney-in-fact) the authority to make legally binding decisions on his or her behalf. This is done for a variety of reasons, both personal and business-related, but it is commonly done to authorize the attorney-in-fact to make crucial decisions for the principal in the event that the principal becomes incapacitated or disabled, and thereby unable to make his or her own decisions.

The principal in a power-of-attorney arrangement is the one who determines the scope of the power that the attorney will be able to wield, and the circumstances under which they can wield it. Generally, you can grant the attorney-in-fact as much or as little decision-making power as you'd like. In every case, however, you should only enter a power-of-attorney arrangement with somebody you trust. The nature of the power you should grant depends heavily on the context, and what your wishes are.

For example, if you have very specific desires for your end-of-life care, but are worried that you won't be able to express your wishes when the time comes, you can grant someone power of attorney in advance, so they'll be able to ensure that your wishes are carried out, if necessary. You should draft an agreement giving the attorney-in-fact power of attorney only in the event that you really become incapacitated. Presumably, if you are able to make and express your own medical decisions, you'll want to do it yourself.

Typically, you can find forms in Norristown, Pennsylvania that let you easily draft a power of attorney document. However, if a massive amount of money is at stake, or you wish to grant very specific and limited powers, you should probably consult with a lawyer beforehand.

Types of Power of Attorney Arrangements in Norristown, Pennsylvania

In Norristown, Pennsylvania, power of attorney can take three main forms. They are as follows:

1. Limited power of attorney - this lets the attorney-in-fact exercise limited authority in a single transaction. It is useful, for example, if someone is buying property in another state, and the deal is nearly fulfilled, but a few documents need to be signed. The buyer could give a resident of that state power of attorney, permitting him or her to complete the transaction on the buyer's behalf. Conveniently, the power automatically terminates when the transaction is complete.

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 example, the power 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 Norristown, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

While setting up power of attorney in Norristown, Pennsylvania can be simple, there are some instances in which it will inevitably be complicated. In such cases, the process will be much easier if you have a brilliant attorney to help you along the way.

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