Power of Attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Find the right Power of Attorney attorney in Milwaukee, WI

If you want to give somebody the legal power to make certain decisions on your behalf in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 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 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 wishes concerning end-of-life care, you should, of course, make them clear to the person who will be acting on your behalf, and make sure they are prepared to carry them out. You should then grant them power of attorney, with the scope limited to certain healthcare and financial decisions. That way, if you become incapacitated, your loved one will be able to carry out your wishes, even if you are unable to express them.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, you can sometimes find pre-printed forms that let you easily draft a power-of-attorney agreement. However, if your situation is particularly complex, you should probably have a lawyer draft it for you, to ensure that the agreement is enforceable, or that there are no surprises.

Types of Power of Attorney Arrangements in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

There are 3 basic arrangements that power of attorney can involve in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are:

1. Limited power of attorney - this allows 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 occurring 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 finalize 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, completing 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 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 allows the attorney-in-fact to make important decisions for the principal if the principal becomes incapacitated.

3. Springing power of attorney - this is a form of power of attorney which doesn't actually take effect until the occurrence of some specified event. This event can be anything, but it is typically the principal becoming disabled. You should be aware, though, that it is not always clear what "disabled" means in such an agreement, which can result in disagreements, resulting in litigation.

Can a Milwaukee, Wisconsin Lawyer Help?

Creating a power of attorney agreement in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is not always easy. And even if the arrangement you want to set up is relatively simple, it might still be a good idea to have a lawyer go over it, just to make sure that there are no flaws that might prevent it from being implemented.

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

Life in Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the largest city in that state. It has a population of over 600,000 people.

The area now known as Milwaukee was populated by various Native American tribes for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. In the 1840s, a large wave of German immigrants, fleeing the 1848 revolution, sought the freedom and inexpensive land that the Milwaukee area offered. They contributed to the city's German character, which persists to this day. Beginning in the early 20th Century, Milwaukee became a major center for the socialist movement in the U.S., and elected 3 mayors from the Socialist Party.

Today, 13 companies in the Fortune 1000 have their headquarters in Milwaukee. Health care is one of the largest sectors of Milwaukee's economy, comprising about 27% of the jobs in the city. About 2/3 of the Milwaukee workforce is employed in manufacturing of some sort, which is one of the highest percentages in the U.S. - it seems clear that Milwaukee's manufacturing sector has survived the rash of factory closings and outsourcing that ravaged so many other Midwestern cities in the last few decades.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin has a thriving legal community. If you live in the Milwaukee area, and need legal services, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin lawyer can help.

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