Power of attorney in Vandergrift, 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 number of reasons, both personal and business-related, but it is frequently done to permit the attorney-in-fact to make essential 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 decides 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.

If you have a strong preference with respect to end-of-life care, but worry that you might be unable to express your wishes when the time comes, you may want to give a family member the legal authority to make such arrangements for you, if necessary. Of course, the power you grant them should be precisely limited to medical decisions, if that's all you want them to be able to decide. It should additionally clearly state that this power will not directly vest until and unless you actually become incapacitated. For reasons that should be obvious, you should only give this power to a person you trust.

Usually, you can find forms in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania that let you quickly draft a power of attorney document. However, if a considerable amount of money is at stake, or you wish to grant very particular and limited powers, you should probably consult with a lawyer beforehand.

Types of Power of Attorney Arrangements in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania

Power of attorney in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania takes 3 main forms. Which one is appropriate for you depends on your distinct case. They are:

1. Limited power of attorney - this lets the attorney-in-fact exercise limited authority in a single transaction. It is useful, for instance, if someone is buying property in another state, and the deal is nearly done, but a few documents need to be signed. The buyer could give a resident of that state power of attorney, authorizing 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 lets an attorney-in-fact make decisions in a certain, defined area of the principal's affairs. Durable power of attorney doesn't automatically disappear, and can last indefinitely, or until the principal revokes it. This can be very useful, because it permits the attorney-in-fact to make critical decisions for the principal, but allows the principal to revoke the power if they regain the capacity to make their own decisions.

3. Springing power of attorney - under this arrangement, the attorney-in-fact does not get power of attorney until the happening of some stated event. The specified event is typically the incapacity or disability of the principal, though it can be virtually any event you wish. You should be aware, however, that it is not always clear when the principal has become sufficiently "disabled" for the power of attorney to take effect. This question sometimes has to be decided by a court, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Can a Vandergrift, Pennsylvania Lawyer Help?

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