Power of Attorney in Puyallup, Washington

Find the right Power of Attorney attorney in Puyallup, WA

If you want to give somebody the legal power to make certain decisions on your behalf in Puyallup, Washington, you are giving them "power of attorney." There are many different types of power of attorney, to be discussed in more detail below, but they all boil down to one common element: the authority of one person to make decisions for another. I'm sure you can think of many reasons why somebody might want to give this power to another person, especially in the medical context (in case the grantor becomes incapacitated, for example).

The principal is able to dictate the specific scope of the attorney-in-fact's authority. If you are giving someone power of attorney, you're probably planning on giving it to a close friend, family member, or life partner. The exact scope of the power is up to you, and will depend on what your goals are.

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 relatively 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 power to carry out your wishes, if necessary.

Sometimes, you can find pre-printed forms in Puyallup, Washington allowing you to easily draft a power of attorney document. In some cases, this may be all you need. These forms already have the basics of such an agreement committed to writing. All you and the other party have to do is fill in the blanks, per the instructions, and possibly have the forms notarized.

Types of Power of Attorney Arrangements in Puyallup, Washington

Power of attorney in Puyallup, Washington takes 3 main forms. Which one is appropriate for you depends on your particular situation. They are:

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 much more power than limited power of attorney. It can, in theory, give them unlimited power in a certain area of the principal's affairs. The document should lay out clearly what power the attorney-in-fact will wield. This arrangement, when used carefully, can be very useful, permitting the attorney-in-fact to make important decisions for the principal as long as is necessary, because it does not automatically disappear after a single transaction. Furthermore, the principal can revoke the power of attorney at any time.

3. Springing power of attorney - under this arrangement, the attorney-in-fact does not get power of attorney until the happening of some mentioned event. The specified event is normally 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 determined by a court, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Can a Puyallup, Washington Lawyer Help?

Setting up a power of attorney arrangement in Puyallup, Washington can be easy, but it can also be very convoluted. It just depends on what you're trying to do. However, if you are at all unsure about how to proceed, it would probably be a good idea to have an attorney draft the agreement for you.

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

Life in Puyallup

Puyallup is a popular suburb just 5 miles east of Tacoma. The population of Puyallup has been on the steady rise and has reached 40,000. The name of the town comes from a local Native American tribe and means "generous." One reason for the name could be the fertile soil. Each year the locally grown daffodils, which are shipped world wide, are featured in the town's annual spring parade as well as the Daffodil Parade. The Daffodil Parade takes place in Tacoma, Puyallup, Orting, and Sumner each year and feature floats, local marching bands, veteran groups, and other clubs. The Puyallup Fair is the biggest annual state fair in Washington and one of the 10 largest in the country. It attracts over 1 million people every year. For the two weeks in September each year, local businesses "do the Puyallup" and show off their best products to all of the visitors.

If you visit the Puyallup Fair at the Puyallup Fairgrounds you may notice the historical information on the grounds' interesting past. It was once used as a World War II internment camp for United States citizens or those of Japanese descent and was called "Camp Harmony." The Antique District is obviously known for its wide selection of antique shops that run along the Meridian Street. It's near the near the Arts Downtown Outdoor Gallery that rotates a selection of artwork appropriate for outdoor installation. Most regular shopping, like back to school, is done at the South Hill Mall that features a number of retail stores like JCPenny, Sears, Target, and Macy's. Puyallup is a booming city that is home to local lawyers. Puyallup lawyers know local courts and procedures so they can help you today.

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