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Texas Power of Attorney

While it can be unpleasant to think about, there may come a time when you aren't able to manage your affairs on your own. A Power of Attorney grants legal permission for another person or organization, an "agent," to act on your behalf if you become unable or otherwise don't want to do so. In addition to a Will and Trust, a Power of Attorney is an important document to have in place in the event of a serious accident, a major illness, or even just a temporary time away.

Yes, a Texas Power of Attorney should be signed in the presence of a Texas notary public.

The Texas Power of Attorney will last as long as specified within the document. The powers granted in the Power of Attorney can terminate either on a specific date or upon your death.

The scope of an agent's powers will vary based on what authority is granted in the Power of Attorney document. In general, a Durable Power of Attorney form is used for the following purposes:

• To give someone broad authorization to act for you if you are absent or incapable.
• To give someone power to handle certain financial or legal issues in your absence or if you become ill. This can include situations in which a matter needs to be handled out of state, but you are unable to travel for any reason.
• To authorize someone to act on your behalf if case you become legally incompetent or incapacitated.

You may designate the Power of Attorney as "general," granting broad powers to control your financial, health, legal, and other matters, or "special," granting power for only specific situations.