MAKE YOUR FREE Delaware Power of Attorney
What is a Delaware Power of Attorney?
The individual giving control is known as the "principal," and the individual or organization gaining authority is called the "agent." Suitable for Delaware residents, our Power of Attorney can be used in Kent County, New Castle County, Sussex County, and in all other parts of the state. All Delaware PoA forms from Rocket Lawyer can be edited to address your unique scenario. This official document will provide proof to financial institutions and other parties that your selected representative is legally allowed to act in your interest when you are not present or able.
When to use a Delaware Power of Attorney:
- You wish to give someone broad authorization to act for you if you are absent or incapable.
- You wish to give someone power to handle certain financial or legal issues in your absence or if you become ill.
- You wish to authorize someone to act on your behalf if case you become legally incompetent or incapacitated.
Sample Delaware Power of Attorney
The terms in your document will update based on the information you provide
NOTICE
As the person signing this durable power of attorney you are the Principal. The purpose of this power of attorney is to give the person you designate (your "Agent") broad powers to handle your property, which may include powers to sell, dispose of, or encumber any real or personal property without advance notice to you or approval by you.
This power of attorney does not authorize your Agent to make health-care decisions for you.
Unless you specify otherwise, your Agent's authority will continue even if you become incapacitated, or until you die or revoke the power of attorney, or until your Agent resigns or is unable to act for you. You should select someone you trust to serve as your Agent.
This power of attorney does not impose a duty on your Agent to exercise granted powers, but when powers are exercised, your Agent must use due care to act for your benefit and in accordance with this power of attorney.
Your Agent must keep your funds and other property separate from your Agent's funds and other property. A court can take away the powers of your Agent if it finds your Agent is not acting properly.
The powers and duties of an Agent under a durable power of attorney are explained more fully in Delaware Code, Title 12, Chapter 49A, § 49A-114 and § 49A-201 through 49A-217.
If there is anything about this form that you do not understand, you should ask a lawyer of your own choosing to explain it to you.
I have read or had explained to me this notice and I understand its contents.
___________________________________________ | __________________ |
Date |
I, , residing at , , , hereby appoint Each Agent may act independently, without the consent of the other Agent. The Agents must act jointly, with the consent of the other Agent.
or if we become legally separated or divorced, If either Agent is unable to serve for any reason, the other Agent shall serve alone. If either Agent is unable to serve for any reason, I appoint , of , , , as my Successor Agent to serve alone. If either Agent is unable to serve for any reason or if we become legally separated or divorced, I appoint , of , , as my Successor Agent to serve alone. If both Agents are unable to serve (either together or independently) I appoint , , , to act as my Alternate Successor Agent to serve alone. I hereby revoke any and all general powers of attorney that previously have been signed by me. I hereby revoke any and all special powers of attorney that previously have been signed by me. I hereby revoke any and all general powers of attorney and special powers of attorney that previously have been signed by me. However, the preceding sentence shall not have the effect of revoking any powers of attorney that are directly related to my health care that previously have been signed by me.
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insurance or annuity accounts
retirement accounts
payable on death savings accounts
payable on death checking accounts
. Provide for the support and protection of myself, my spouse, or of any minor child I have a duty to support or have established a pattern of prior support, including, without limitation, provision for food, lodging, housing, medical services, recreation and travel; |
. Maintain and/or operate any business that I may own.
. Employ professional and business assistance as may be appropriate, including attorneys, accountants, and real estate Agents.
my homestead as described in the attached Exhibit. any homestead that I now own or may own in the future. my homestead legally described as:
If the Agent is my spouse, then I also hereby appoint , of , as my substitute Agent solely for the purpose of releasing any dower, homestead or other inchoate interest or other property rights (of whatever nature), which under local law may not be released by my spouse.
. Make gifts from my assets to members of my family and to such other persons or charitable organizations with whom I have an established pattern of giving (or if it is appropriate to make such gifts for estate planning and/or tax purposes), to file state and federal gift tax returns, and to file a tax election to split gifts with my spouse, if any. No Agent acting under this instrument, except as specifically authorized in this instrument, shall have the power or authority to (a) gift, appoint, assign or designate any of my assets, interests or rights, directly or indirectly, to such Agent, such Agent's estate, such Agent's creditors, or the creditors of such Agent's estate, (b) exercise any powers of appointment I may hold in favor of such Agent, such Agent's estate, such Agent's creditors, or the creditors of such Agent's estate, or (c) use any of my assets to discharge any of such Agent's legal obligations, including any obligations of support which such Agent may owe to others, excluding those whom I am legally obligated to support.
. To transfer any of my assets to the trustee of any revocable trust created by me, if such trust is in existence at the time of such transfer.
. To utilize my assets to fund a trust not created by me, but to which I have either established a pattern of funding, or to fund a trust created by my Agent for my benefit or the benefit of my dependents, heirs or devisees upon the advice of a financial adviser.
. To create, sign, modify or revoke any trust agreements or other trust documents in an attempt to manage or create a trust that was created for my benefit or the benefit of my dependants, heirs or devisees. This shall include the creation, modification or revocation of any inter vivos, family living, irrevocable or revocable trusts.
. To exercise fiduciary responsibilities that I have a right to delegate.
. Subject to other provisions of this document, my Agent may disclaim any interest, which might otherwise be transferred or distributed to me from any other person, estate, trust, or other entity, as may be appropriate. However, my Agent may not disclaim assets to which I would be entitled, if the result is that the disclaimed assets pass directly or indirectly to my Agent or my Agent's estate.
. Have access to my healthcare and medical records and statements regarding billing, insurance and payments.
. Act on my behalf for the purposes of managing, distributing, and terminating my digital assets. For the purposes of this Power of Attorney, digital assets shall mean electronic assets that are stored on my computers, electronic devices, or on any online account, as identified in Schedule A of this Power of Attorney. Online accounts include, but are not limited to, social-networking sites, online backup services, servers, email accounts, photo and document sharing sites, financial and business accounts, domain names, virtual property, websites, and blogs. An instructional document, titled, Letter of Instructions with associated websites, usernames, passwords, and related information, is hereby incorporated by reference into this Will and shall be distributed to my Agent designated in this Power of Attorney. My Agent shall have the power and authority to manage, conduct, and to exercise all of my legal rights and powers relating to my digital assets, including all rights and powers that I may acquire in the future. My Agents powers shall include, but not be limited to, the power to access, download, and backup digital assets, convert my file formats, access any and all devices necessary to manage digital assets, and clear computer caches and delete files.
. Open, maintain or close bank accounts (including, but not limited to, checking accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit), brokerage accounts, retirement plan accounts, and other similar accounts with financial institutions. This power shall include the authority to conduct any business with any banking or financial institution with respect to any of my accounts, including, but not limited to, making deposits and withdrawals, negotiating or endorsing any checks or other instruments with respect to any such accounts, obtaining bank statements, passbooks, drafts, money orders, warrants, and certificates or vouchers payable to me by any person, firm, corporation, or political entity.
. Open, maintain or close the following specific accounts. This power shall include the authority to conduct any transaction for these accounts, including, but not limited to, making deposits and withdrawals, negotiating or endorsing any checks or other instruments with respect to any such accounts, obtaining bank statements, passbooks, drafts, money orders, warrants, and certificates or vouchers payable to me by any person, firm, corporation, or political entity.
Perform any act necessary to deposit, negotiate, sell, or transfer any note, bond, security, or draft of the United States of America, including U.S. Treasury Securities.
Institute, supervise, prosecute, defend, intervene in, abandon, compromise, arbitrate, settle, dismiss, and appeal from any and all legal, equitable, judicial or administrative hearings, actions, suits, proceedings, attachments, arrests or distresses, involving me in any way.
. . . Sell or convey any interest of mine in real estate (whether currently owned or later acquired). Sell or convey any interest of mine in real estate located at Sell or convey any interest of mine in real estate located at
The total sale price must be at least .
If the Agent is my spouse, then I also hereby appoint of , , as my substitute Agent solely for the purpose of releasing any dower, homestead or other inchoate interest or other property rights (of whatever nature), which under local law may not be released by my spouse.
. . . Mortgage or encumber any interest of mine in real estate (whether currently owned or later acquired). Mortgage or encumber any interest of mine in real estate located at: Mortgage or encumber any interest of mine in real estate located at:
If the Agent is my spouse, then I also hereby appoint of , , as my substitute Agent solely for the purpose of releasing any dower, homestead or other inchoate interest or other property rights (of whatever nature), which under local law may not be released by my spouse.
. . . Manage, insure, improve, repair, collect rents, execute leases, or take any other action that a landlord might take, with respect to any interest of mine in real estate (whether currently owned or later acquired). Manage, insure, improve, repair, collect rents, execute leases, or take any other action that a landlord might take, with respect to any interest of mine in real estate located at: Manage, insure, improve, repair, collect rents, execute leases, or take any other action that a landlord might take, with respect to any interest of mine in real estate located at: . . . Sell or convey any personal property that I might own now or in the future, tangible or intangible, on such terms and conditions as my Agent deems appropriate. Sell or convey .
This power shall include the power to (i) sign contracts of sale and documents to transfer title (including bills of sale), and (ii) accept a security interest for any unpaid portion of the purchase price.
This power shall include the power to (i) obtain credit upon such terms as my Agent may deem appropriate, subject to the limitations (if any) stated above, (ii) sign any documents (including notes, credit agreements, security agreements, and financing statements), and (iii) take any other action that may be required to complete the above transactions.
, , .
This power shall include the power to: (i) make and carry out decisions regarding sales, purchases, employees, loans, and equipment, and (ii) take any action needed (at the discretion of my Agent) to operate the business.
This power shall be limited to the power to make decisions in the ordinary course of business, including, but not limited to, decisions regarding sales, purchases, employees, and equipment.
. Prepare, sign, and file documents with any governmental body or agency. Prepare, sign, and file documents with any governmental body or agency. Prepare, sign, and file documents with any governmental body or agency
. Prepare, sign, and file income, gift and other tax returns of all kinds with federal, state, local, and other governmental bodies, and any Power of Attorney form appointing an Agent required by the Internal Revenue Service and/or any state or local taxing authority.
. Obtain information or documents from any government or its agencies, and represent me in all tax matters, including the authority to negotiate, compromise, or settle any matter with such government or agency.
. Prepare applications, provide information, and perform any other act reasonably requested by any government or its agencies in connection with governmental benefits (including medical, military and social security benefits), and to appoint anyone, including my Agent, to act as my "Representative Payee" for the purpose of receiving Social Security benefits.
. Act on my behalf with respect to the following matters: . Act on my behalf with respect to the following matters: . Act on my behalf with respect to the following matters:-Exercise all stock rights on my behalf as my proxy, including all rights with respect to stocks, bonds, debentures, commodities, options or other investments.
-Enter into binding contracts on my behalf.
-Purchase, maintain, surrender, collect, or cancel (a) life insurance or annuities of any kind on my life or on the life of anyone in whom I have an insurable interest, (b) liability insurance protecting me and my estate against third party claims, (c) hospital insurance, medical insurance, Medicare supplement insurance, custodial care insurance, and disability income insurance for me or any of my dependents, and (d) casualty insurance insuring assets of mine against loss or damage due to fire, theft, or other commonly insured risk; to pay all insurance premiums, to select any options under such policies, to increase coverage under any such policy, to borrow against any such policy, to pursue all insurance claims on my behalf, to adjust insurance losses, and the foregoing powers shall apply to private and public plans, including but not limited to Medicare, Medicaid, SSI and Worker's Compensation; to designat and change beneficiaries of insurance policies insuring my life and beneficiaries under any annuity contract in which I have an interest; to decrease coverage under or cancel any of these policies described above; to receive and make such disposition of the cash value on termination of any such policy as my Agent deems appropriate. However, my Agent shall have no power or authority whatsoever with respect to any interest in or incidents of ownership in any policy of insurance I may own on the life of my Agent.
-Create and contribute to an employee benefit plan, including a plan for a self-employed individual, for my benefit; to elect retirement on my behalf; to select any payment option under any IRA or employee benefit plan in which I am a participant, including plans for self-employed individuals, or to change options I have selected; to make voluntary contributions to such plans; to make "roll-overs" of plan benefits into other retirement plans; to apply for and receive payments and benefits; to waive rights given to nonemployee spouses under state or federal law; to borrow money or purchase assets from such plans, if authorized by such plans; to make revocable and irrevocable beneficiary designations and to change revocable beneficiary designations; to consent and/or waive consent in connection with the designation of beneficiaries and the selection of joint and survivor annuities under any employee benefit plan.
-Employ professional and business advisors as may be appropriate, including attorneys, accountants, and real estate Agents.
-Add, delete or change beneficiaries to any financial accounts I own including insurance policies, annuities, retirement accounts, payable on death savings or checking account or other investments.
-Add, delete or change beneficiaries to
insurance or annuity accounts
retirement accounts
payable on death savings accounts
payable on death checking accounts
Act on my behalf for the purposes of managing, distributing, and terminating my digital assets. For the purposes of this Power of Attorney, digital assets shall mean electronic assets that are stored on my computers, electronic devices, or on any online account, as identified in Schedule A of this Power of Attorney. Online accounts include, but are not limited to, social-networking sites, online backup services, servers, email accounts, photo and document sharing sites, financial and business accounts, domain names, virtual property, websites, and blogs. An instructional document, titled, Letter of Instructions with associated websites, usernames, passwords, and related information, is hereby incorporated by reference into this Will and shall be distributed to my Agent designated in this Power of Attorney. My Agent shall have the power and authority to manage, conduct, and to exercise all of my legal rights and powers relating to my digital assets, including all rights and powers that I may acquire in the future. My Agents powers shall include, but not be limited to, the power to access, download, and backup digital assets, convert my file formats, access any and all devices necessary to manage digital assets, and clear computer caches and delete files.
My Agent shall not be liable for any loss that results from a judgment error that was made in good faith. However, my Agent shall be liable for willful misconduct or the failure to act in good faith while acting under the authority of this Power of Attorney. A Successor Agent shall not be liable for acts of a prior Agent.
My Agent shall provide an accounting for all funds handled and all acts performed as my Agent as required under state law or upon my request or the request of any authorized personal representative, fiduciary or court of record acting on my behalf.
I hereby appoint
My Digital Agent shall not be entitled to any compensation, during my lifetime or upon my death, for any services provided as my Digital Agent. My Digital Agent shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for any services provided as my Digital Agent. My Digital Agent shall not be entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result of carrying out any provision of this Power of Attorney. My Digital Agent shall be entitled to reimbursement of all reasonable expenses incurred as a result of carrying out any provision of this Power of Attorney.
This Power of Attorney is granted in, and shall be governed by the laws of the state of Delaware; however, I intend that this Power of Attorney be universally recognized and that it be universally admissible to recordation. In the event that I become a resident of another jurisdiction, or obtain property, including real property or any other property interest, in another jurisdiction, it remains my intention that the laws of Delaware shall continue to govern this Power of Attorney.
This Power of Attorney shall become effective immediately. on . upon written certification by my physician that I am incapacitated or mentally incapable of managing my financial affairs, and shall not be affected by my disability or lack of mental competence, except as may be provided otherwise by an applicable state statute. This is a Durable Power of Attorney. immediately, and shall not be affected by my disability or lack of mental competence, except as may be provided otherwise by an applicable state statute. This is a Durable Power of Attorney. on , and shall not be affected by my disability or lack of mental competence, except as may be provided otherwise by an applicable state statute. This is a Durable Power of Attorney. This Power of Attorney shall continue effective until or until I lack sufficient mental competence to understand and handle my financial and personal affairs or until I lack sufficient mental competence to understand and handle my financial and personal affairs. This Power of Attorney may be revoked by me at any time by providing written notice to my Agent.
Dated ____________________, ______, at , .
__________________________________
Witness Signature: | ___________________________________ |
Name: |
City: |
State: |
STATE OF :: SS.
COUNTY OF :
This Durable Power of Attorney was signed by the Principal, witnessed by the person aforesaid, and acknowledged before me, the Subscriber, a Notary Public, this ____ day of _____________________ 20_____ .
_________________________________
Notary Public
WITNESS ATTESTATION
The foregoing power of attorney was, on the date written above, published and declared by in our presence to be his/her power of attorney. We, in his/her presence and at his/her request, and in the presence of each other, have attested to the same and have signed our names as attesting witnesses.
___________________________________
,
___________________________________
,
I, , have read the attached durable power of attorney and I am the person identified as the Digital Agent for the Principal. To the best of my knowledge this power has not been revoked. I hereby acknowledge that, in the absence of a specific provision to the contrary in the durable power of attorney, when I act as Digital Agent I,
We, and , have read the attached durable power of attorney and we are the people identified as the Digital Agent for the Principal. To the best of our knowledge this power has not been revoked. We hereby acknowledge that, in the absence of a specific provision to the contrary in the durable power of attorney, when we act as Digital Agent we,
my our
Dated: ________________________
Signed: _______________________________________
AGENT'S CERTIFICATION
I, , have read the attached durable personal power of attorney and I am the person identified as the Agent or identified as the Agent for the Principal. To the best of my knowledge this power has not been revoked. I hereby acknowledge that, when I act as Agent, I shall:
Act in accordance with the principal's reasonable expectations to the extent actually known to me and, otherwise, in the Principal's best interest;Act in good faith;
Act only within the scope of authority granted in the personal power of attorney; and
To the extent reasonably practicable under the circumstances, keep in regular contact with the principal and communicate with the principal.
In addition, in the absence of a specific provision to the contrary in the durable personal power of attorney, when I act as Agent, I shall:
Keep the assets of the Principal separate from my assets;
Exercise reasonable caution and prudence; and
Keep a full and accurate record of all actions, receipts and disbursements on behalf of the Principal.
__________________________________________ | __________________ |
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General Special Durable
The Power of Attorney also must be signed in the presence of two witnesses if the power to handle Florida real estate transactions is granted.
The Power of Attorney must be registered in the office of the register of deeds in order for it to be effective after the principal becomes incompetent. Until then, registration is unnecessary.
Delaware Power of Attorney FAQs
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How do I get power of attorney in Delaware?
It's simple and easy to give or receive the support you might need with a free Delaware Power of Attorney template from Rocket Lawyer:
- Make your PoA - Provide a few details and we will do the rest
- Send and share - Review the PoA with your agent(s) or get legal help
- Sign it and make it legal - Mandatory or not, notarization/witnesses are recommended
This method is often going to be notably more affordable than finding and working with your average attorney. If necessary, you may start this PoA on behalf of an elderly parent, a spouse, or another relative, and then help them sign it when ready. Please keep in mind that for this document to be considered valid, the principal must be mentally competent at the time of signing. In the event that the principal has already been declared legally incompetent, a court-appointed conservatorship could be required. When dealing with this scenario, it's important to connect with a lawyer .
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Who should have a Delaware PoA?
Every person over 18 years old should have a Power of Attorney. Even though it's difficult to think about, a day will likely come when you are not able to make your own legal decisions. There may also be times when you are merely unavailable. Here are some common situations in which a PoA might be helpful:
- You are preparing to move or travel overseas temporarily or permanently
- You are aging or dealing with ongoing health issues or limited mobility
- You intend to move out of your home and into a community care facility
- You wish to authorize a trusted person to make decisions on your behalf if you become legally incompetent or incapacitated
Regardless of whether this Delaware Power of Attorney is being drafted as part of a long-term plan or produced in response to an unexpected issue, witnesses and/or notarization will often help to protect your document if its legitimacy is doubted.
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Which type of Power of Attorney do I need in Delaware?
There are several ways to categorize PoA documents. They are primarily based on what powers are being granted, when they will come into effect, and how long they will remain valid. Most often, you will see them organized into these four groups:
- General Power of Attorney - Will grant broad authority over your affairs
- Special Power of Attorney - Will grant a limited scope of powers over specific matters
- Durable Power of Attorney - Will remain valid even if you become mentally incompetent or incapacitated
- Springing Power of Attorney - Will come into effect based on certain events or criteria
When creating your free Delaware Power of Attorney with Rocket Lawyer, you may decide to have the agent's power start immediately, on a precise date, or only when you are no longer capable. Your Power of Attorney can terminate upon your death or on a particular date.
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Do I need to hire an attorney for my Delaware PoA?
Delaware Power of Attorney forms are usually simple to make; however, you or your agent could still have questions. Getting another opinion on your document might take a long time on your own. Another approach would be through the Rocket Lawyer On Call® network of attorneys. Rocket Lawyer Premium members are able to ask for advice from an experienced lawyer or pose other legal questions. As always, you can be confident that Rocket Lawyer is by your side.
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What would I traditionally need to pay to get a Power of Attorney form in Delaware?
The cost of hiring an attorney to draft a Power of Attorney might total between $200 and $500, depending on your location. Rocket Lawyer can offer much more protection than most other Power of Attorney template websites that you may discover. As a Rocket Lawyer member, you can get up to 40% in savings when hiring an attorney from our network.
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Are there any next steps to take after drafting a Delaware Power of Attorney?
With a Rocket Lawyer membership, you can edit it, download it as a Word document or PDF file, and print it. When you are ready to finalize your Power of Attorney, it should be signed. You will need to send a final copy of the signed document to your agent(s) and financial institutions.
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Does a Power of Attorney need to be notarized, witnessed, or recorded in Delaware?
The guidelines for PoA forms will be different in each state; however, in Delaware, your Power of Attorney will usually require the signature of one witness and a notary public. Two witnesses will be required if the agent's responsibilities are related to real estate. If your agent will have the authority to manage real estate transactions, the Power of Attorney must be acknowledged by a notary and recorded or filed with the county. As a general rule, witnesses will need to be at least 18 years old, and none should simultaneously be named as your agent.
See Delaware Power of Attorney law: Title 12, Ch. 49