Make your Free
Maryland Power of Attorney

A Maryland Power of Attorney (PoA) is a legal document that grants a selected individual the authority to manage legal and financial affairs for you, such as selling real estate, signing contracts, and accessing bank accounts.

The person granting control is known as the "principal," while the people or organizations receiving authority are called the "agents." Suited for residents of Maryland, this Power of Attorney is made for use in Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and in every other county or municipality throughout the state. All Maryland Power of Attorney forms from Rocket Lawyer can be edited to address your particular scenario. With this official document on hand, your agent will be able to provide confirmation to financial institutions and other parties that they can legally act in your interest when you are not present or able.

It's simple and easy to assign or receive the authority you might need using a free Maryland Power of Attorney template from Rocket Lawyer:

1. Make your PoA - Answer a few questions and we will do the rest
2. Send and share it - Review the document with your agent or get legal help
3. Sign and make it legal - Optional or not, witnesses/notarization are recommended

This route, in most cases, would be much less time-consuming than finding and working with a conventional provider. If necessary, you may fill out a PoA on behalf of your spouse or another relative, and then help them sign it after you've drafted it. Please remember that for this document to be considered legally valid, the principal must be mentally competent when they sign. If the principal is already unable to make their own decisions, a court-appointed conservatorship could be required. When managing such a situation, it's important for you to speak with an attorney.

Anyone who is over 18 years old ought to have a Power of Attorney. Though it is difficult to acknowledge, there will likely come a time when you can no longer sort out your affairs by yourself. There may even be times when you are simply out of pocket. Common situations where PoA forms can be useful include:

• You currently live in a residential care facility and want help managing your finances
• You are living abroad or out of state
• You wish to give someone broad permission to take legal actions or make decisions on your behalf if you are not present or become legally incapacitated
• You are aging or have declining health or limited mobility

Whether your Maryland Power of Attorney has been created in response to an emergency or as part of a long-term plan, notarization and witnesses can often help to protect your agent if someone disputes their privileges.

There are several ways to categorize Power of Attorney documents. They are primarily based on how long the powers will remain valid, when they come into effect, and what they will grant authority over. Frequently, you may see them described in these four segments:

• Springing Power of Attorney - Would come into effect based on certain criteria
• Durable Power of Attorney - Would remain in effect even when you become mentally incompetent or otherwise incapacitated
• Special Power of Attorney - Would grant a limited scope of powers over specific matters
• General Power of Attorney - Would grant a broad scope of powers over your affairs

When creating your free Maryland Power of Attorney with Rocket Lawyer, you may opt to have the power begin immediately upon signing, on a precise day, or only at the point when you're not capable. Your Power of Attorney may end on a specific date or when you pass away.

Maryland Power of Attorney forms are usually straightforward; however, you or your agent(s) may have questions. Finding an attorney to proofread your Maryland Power of Attorney might be expensive. An easier and more cost-effective alternative is to go through attorney services at Rocket Lawyer. By signing up for a Premium membership, you can get your document reviewed by an experienced attorney. As always, Rocket Lawyer will be here to support you.

The fees associated with finding and hiring your average law firm to generate a Power of Attorney might range anywhere from two hundred to five hundred dollars, based on your location. Rocket Lawyer can offer much more protection than other Power of Attorney template providers that you might encounter. As a Rocket Lawyer Premium member, you can get up to a 40% discount when hiring an On Call attorney.

With a Rocket Lawyer membership, you may edit it, save it as a PDF document or Word file, and print it out. When you are ready to complete your Power of Attorney, it will need to be signed. Be sure that your agent(s), financial institutions, and other impacted parties receive a copy of the final document.

The specific requirements governing PoA forms will be different by state; however, in Maryland, your document will require the signatures of two witnesses and a notary public. If your agent(s) will handle real estate transactions, the Power of Attorney must be acknowledged by a notary and filed or recorded with your county. Finally, as a general principle, witnesses will need to be over 18 years old, and none of them should also be acting as your agent.

See Maryland Power of Attorney law: Estates and Trusts, Section 17